Bond Timber Cornwall Cricket League Division Two East preview – Saturday, May 3

RELEGATED Wadebridge Seconds start life back in the third-tier with a home game against neighbours Lanhydrock.

The Swans’ stay in County Division One was brief – just the one season to be exact – but they held their own for much of it and will fancy themselves to be at the business end come August.

Lanhydrock arrive off the back of a decent winter which has seen them bring in Australian leg-spinner Rowan Evans, while top-order batsman Amir Khan could be a superstar in the division having moved down from London.

He racked up over 600 runs in the Surrey Championship so should be a formidable force in the third-tier of the Cornish game.

Lanhydrock skipper Jamie Eldridge has admitted he wants his side to be pushing for the promotion slot as well, but has to do without four players as Jamie Taylor, Josh Taylor, Mike Horne and Ryan Butler are all away.

Wadebridge are missing Charlie McLachlan and Tom Wood who are in the first team for the afternoon, while the hard-hitting Alex Forward who scored 75 not out in midweek at St Minver, is also absent.

However, Alek Gill and nephew Kieran are both back from neighbours St Minver and are named in a team which has a familiar look to it. Paul Menhenick is the new captain.

WADEBRIDGE SECONDS: Charlie Ellis, James Cox, Ross McLachlan (wkt), Alek Gill, Jamie Beare, Paul Menhenick (capt), Kieran Gill, Charlie Hawken, Joe Wilson, Ollie Bate, Steve Gunner.

LANHYDROCK: Jamie Eldridge (capt), Amir Khan (wkt), Luke Buckland, Jack Trethewey, Ben Attfield, Christian James, Ryan Beaumont, Jacob Eldridge, Rowan Evans, Fred Brown, Brian Barnicoat.

LUCKETT cruised to the Division Three East title last term and face a tricky home date with St Blazey.

Luckett are without influential batsman Andrew Hoskin, opening bowler Rob Piper and all-rounder Adrian Berry, but batsmen Luke Brenton and Toby May are named in the team having arrived from neighbours Callington. The other new signing, off-spinner George Wilkinson, is also absent.

Both men should rack up the runs alongside the top run-scorer last year, Ryan Brown.

St Blazey have a similar side to last year but with three key additions.

South African all-rounder Ruhaan Brenner, who bats high up and bowls left-arm spin, scored 568 runs and took 49 wickets in the Cheshire Premier League and could prove to be the signing of the summer, while youngsters Toby and Reuben Clarke have made the short trip from St Austell.

They name a near full-strength side which has plenty of firepower with the bat.

LUCKETT: Ryan Brown (capt), Luke Brenton, Toby May, Henry Wilkinson (wkt), James Wilkinson, Marc Brown, Adam Piper, Dan Pearce, Leion Cole, Jonny Hoskin, Mark Southcott.

ST BLAZEY: Ben Griffiths (capt), Rory Dixon, Matt Bennetts, Ruhann Brenner, Nithin Gowda, Paul Carne (wkt), Riley Carne, Josh Carne, Andy Thomas, Angus Harley, Steve Gilks.

ST AUSTELL Thirds are in the division for the first time with survival the aim.

However, with a thriving club and plenty of places across all four teams, they are sure to be competitive, particularly when the firsts and seconds are at full strength.

They head up the A30 to last year’s runners-up Werrington Seconds.

With the first team missing three and a couple of others out, Werrington are far from full strength but start as favourites on home soil.

Lee Houghton makes a debut having joined from Bude, while talented youngsters Sam Smeeth and Ed Walters look set to be features in the side all season.

St Austell have a new captain in the shape of Nick Matthews who will hope his mix of older heads and teenagers can pull off a surprise or two in a tough division.

WERRINGTON SECONDS: Rob May, Ed Walters (wkt), Lee Houghton, Dan Warring, Rob Dymond, Jason Seldon (capt), Tyler May, Dan Jenkin, Ian Searle, Sam Smeeth, Nick Oldaker.

ST AUSTELL THIRDS: Nick Matthews (capt), Joe Baker, Andrew Bennetts, Ollie Clarke, James Higman, Henry Johnson, Tom Mallet (wkt), Kieran Nile, Matt Nile, Theo Osborne, Stuart Wilder.

CALLINGTON Seconds have one of the stronger teams and squads on paper and they start with the always-awkward trip up to Holsworthy.

Such is Cally’s strength in-depth at present in the first team, Jack Greening has to start in the seconds and goes to the club he left over the winter.

With first team vice-captain Matt Shepherd also included, it could be interesting.

Alex Mortimore is back after a year off to lead an exciting attack which also includes Ben Alford and Ryan Hodge, while teenage leg-spinner Harvey Poad gets a chance.

As well as Greening, Holsworthy have also lost seamer Rob Mitchell to St Austell.

Aussie Noah Pigdon has the difficult task of replacing Herschelle Poggenpoel as the overseas player, while the rest of the side is similar although teenage batsman Rory Piper looks set to be given a run in the side.

HOLSWORTHY: Chris Pomeroy (wkt), Aiden Gerry, Noah Pigdon, Rory Piper, Ryan Walter (capt), Jack May, Sam Stacey, Brendan Harris, Lewis Chidley, Guy Beagley, Graham Wild.

CALLINGTON SECONDS: Jack Greening, Matt Shepherd, James Brenton, Blake Tancock (wkt), Rich Brown (capt), Peter Tancock, James Moon (wkt), Ben Alford, Alex Mortimore, Ryan Hodge, Harvey Poad.

ST MINVER have had to deal with the late departures of four players, but earned a superb nine-wicket success over neighbours Wadebridge Seconds in the preliminary round of the Hawkey Cup on Wednesday night.

They welcome a Bude side that finished third last term, although the Seasiders are also missing a couple.

St Minver do have South African all-rounder Reece Thompson back as the overseas player, while Jonny Centini has resumed the captaincy following the departure of Alek Gill back to Wadebridge.

Gill and nephews Kieran and Jack have gone, while Charlie Hawken has also made the same move having originally rejoined the club from the Swans.

The well-travelled Ross Keast is back at St Minver from Lanhydrock and is dangerous with the swinging ball, but the rest of the side is similar.

Bude are missing opening batsman James Sharman, all-rounder Matt Williams who can only play at home, and batsman Matt Whitefield.

Richard Dymond is set to open the batting on debut, while David Sillifant also makes his first appearance having arrived from Launceston.

ST MINVER: Ben Hawken (wkt), Antony Ash, Jake Keast, Jonny Centini (capt), Reece Thompson, Rob Hawken, Ross Keast, Dean Jeffery, Rob Hawken, Neil Meneer, Andy Rathborne, Josh Sanders.

BUDE: Wayne Adams, Richard Dymond, Warren Rumble (capt, wkt), Harry Dymond, James Turner, Ant Buchanan, Andrew De Rosa, David Sillifant, Matt Mansbridge, Brett Hunter, Mark Whitefield.