CRICKET: Butcher urges Horspath to go for glory (From Oxford Mail)

CRICKET: Butcher urges Horspath to go for glory

3:51pm Thursday 6th May 2010 in

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Former England batsman Mark Butcher has urged Horspath to go that extra mile and experience the thrill of a title-winning campaign.

Butcher, who retired from the first-class game last August after a career which saw him captain England on one occasion and make eight Test centuries, took a training session at the village club on Tuesday.

More than 40 players turned out, and Butcher, recalling how he had been a member of Surrey’s 1999 County Championship-winning side, said: “If you guys have not won any trophies yet, keep practising and make sure you do because it is something you will never forget.”

Horspath, who fell just short in the title race last season, have recruited former Oxfordshire off-spinner Paul Jeacock from Bicester & North Oxford, who pulled their first team out of the top flight in the close season after a mass exodus of players.

Jehan Mohammed joins from Oxford, while Australian Alister Gibbins becomes coach as he is ineligible to play under the league’s new rule whereby overseas players must be under 22 on September 1 last year.

However, he has brought batsman Sam Hay with him from Tasmania.

Cumnor, who finished fourth last season, are placing the emphasis on developing their younger players.

Seamer Jack Metcalfe (Northants Academy) and off-spinner Miles Hammond (Gloucs Academy) head the queue, while former Oxfordshire and Oxford all-rounder John Williams and Rob Milnes are back after missing last season.

All-rounder David Dyer, a teacher at Magdalen College School, and New Zealander Mark Farmer have also joined, while Shahbaz Alam has moved to Preston and Mark Haigh has joined Eynsham.

Having recruited Darryl Woods as their new captain from Bicester & North Oxford, Oxford Downs will be looking to improve on last year’s seventh place.

Andy Buckingham comes in as player-coach from Oxford & Bletchingdon Nondescripts, and Nick Rivett (Abingdon Vale) and Amin Rafiq (Bicester) have also joined. Tom Norris has moved to London.

Simon Hole has returned to Shipton-under-Wychwood from Banbury as captain.

Nigel Hume (Faringdon), Tom King (Oxford Downs), Craig Wood (Hanborough), Joe Cockroft (Hanborough) and Shaun Cross (Minster Lovell) have also joined, while Ian Lewis misses the season with a shoulder injury.

Olly Dimbylow remains as Challow & Childrey captain after they won promotion last season.

They hope to register Oxford UIniversity student Nick Meadows for the second half of the season.

Oxford 2nd will again operate as part of the club’s first-team squad with all places up for grabs.

Tom Geeson-Brown (Great & Little Tew), Dan King (Abingdon Vale) and Kiwi Brad Sutherland are new recruits.

Great & Little Tew were promoted to the top flight following Bicester & North Oxford’s withdrawal.

They have picked up Matt Woods, Mark Fitzsimons and Ian Bryan from Bicester, Harry Smith from Horley and Banbury’s Joe White.

Buckingham Town, who only missed out on the title last season on their head-to-head record with Dinton after the two clubs finished on the same points total, have Rob Large back at the top of the order.

Ashley Pearson joins from Banbury Twenty, with Josh Nix and Nick Cadman other new signings.

Ghufran Mohammed has left Bletchley Town, who have recruited 18-year-old off-spinner Tom Joraslafsky, from Adelaide. He won the coveted Bradman Medal in South Australia last season.

Bourton Vale, last year’s Division 2 champions and Derek Primett Memorial Cup winners, have snapped up English-qualified Zimbabweans Neil Ferreira, who played a Test match against New Zealand in 2005, and Kingsley Went from Northleach.