Winton Cricket Club “looking forward to bouncing back” in 2024

By Ben Taylor on 20th February 2024 in Sport

Winton’s cricket team has announced professional and overseas signings in an attempt to return to the Championship.

The 2024 cricket season is not too far away now because the first fixtures take place in April.

Winton CC were relegated from the Championship after spending three years in the division. Now, the team set their mind to an immediate return next season.

Despite a good run of results towards the end of the summer, the Winton side failed to secure safety and dropped down to the Greater Manchester Cricket League.

“We lost some of our main players the season before and we struggled with availability,” said club captain Mike Seenan.

“We were struggling until the end of the season, when we finally got our best 11 out and we beat the top of the league which stopped them winning the league and we beat third in the league which stopped them getting promoted.”

These are clear signs that the Winton side still have the ability to compete at this level. The team are aiming to return to that division with a title charge this season.

“Obviously, it’s a long winter, so we are all looking forward to bouncing back.”

“We weren’t one of the worst sides in the league, we know that, we let ourselves down. We’re more than capable of beating the best teams on our day”.

In the hope of achieving promotion, Winton have recruited two new signings.

One of them is a local professional, James Park-Johnson, who is stepping up from amateur level and playing as a bowling all-rounder.

Their second recruit comes from down under, with Australian pace bowler Sam Langley bolstering Winton’s bowling attack. Langley will open the bowling alongside Park-Johnson.

Mr Seenan said: “[Langley] played in the same leagues as one of our former overseas players, so he’s come over heavily recommended. He’s a good lad, top bowler, so I just got the deal done pretty much straight away”

“He bowls right arm medium-fast, he’s a strike bowler, up front, likes to take wickets and is really good with the new ball.”

The club is a locally run side, the community aspect is important and some of the members have been coming for over 50 years.

“I’m 39 now and I’ve been here since I was seven,” said Mr Seenan. “We’re a very small community club, I’ve never played for another club and a lot of the lads are the same.”