Devon Cricket Board - Hatherleigh realistic about prospects

Hatherleigh realistic about prospects

HATHERLEIGH return to the A Division after a lengthy absence with real concerns about staying put.

You have to go back to 1998 for Hatherleigh’s last stint in the A Division, which ended in the first of three relegations in six seasons.

By 2003 Hatherleigh were in the D Division – and there they stayed for six seasons until scrambling out in 2009.

Successive promotions in 2011 and 2012 got Hatherleigh back where they started, which might be a mixed blessing.

Skipper Mark Lake starts the season with too many of his promotion winners absent – and at least two of them are not coming back.

“Hugh Romans was our leading run scorer last season and he has gone to a new job in Cambridge – just the player you can’t afford to lose,” said Lake.

“Simon Gillespie had a new job - I doubt we will see him – and Rob Fishleigh is missing at the start of the season due to a rugby injury.

“Rob Chapman, Andy Collier and Sean Letheren are all at university at the start of the season, which doesn’t help.

“Under the new format we will need five bowlers this season – last year you could get away with four – which is going to test us with all the players we have missing.

“The best we can aim for is to consolidate.”

Hatherleigh are at home to Brixham in their first game.

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