Club welcome back overseas professional Kirwin Christoffels for his second season
North Runcton start the Norfolk Alliance Premier League season away at newly-promoted Dereham, with their second XI at home to Winterton.
Both teams started the Mid-Norfolk Sunday League with victories.
Runcton’s opening-day opponents Dereham were the only club to clinch promotion from Division One last season due to the failure of Premier Division champions Fakenham to win promotion to the East Anglia Premier League after their play-off defeat to Norwich.
Pre-season friendlies have seen close, winning finishes against Spalding, Wisbech and Sandringham.
The club welcome back overseas professional Kirwin Christoffels for his second season, after an excellent first year with bat and ball.
Ben Coote again leads the Saturday First XI, with Tom Tansley taking on Second team captaincy duties. Sunday sides will be led by Ben Skipper and Sam Major.
As with previous seasons, the club will base their Saturday and Sunday sides on players coming though from the youth teams.
Sides at Under 11, 13, 15 and 19 will play under the organisation of Joshy Ring, pictured far right, who is North Runcton’s head coach.
Youth players can attend coaching sessions on Wednesday evenings between 6pm and 7.30pm. Adult training takes place on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6pm onwards.
After some taster sessions last summer, Runcton plan to hold cricket coaching sessions for girls on Sunday mornings, from May 12, between 10am and 11am.
The first session will be a free fun session led by level 2 coach Amy Cubitt and club pro Christoffels.
For further details about North Runcton Cricket Club and its activities on and off the pitch, contact Peter Coote by emailing: peter.coote57@gmail.com
Mid Norfolk Sunday League
Kevin Grimmer Division Two
Terrington lost to North Runcton 2nds by 3 wickets
On Sunday, North Runcton’s 2nd XI made the short journey to Terrington for their league season opener and came home with an unlikely looking victory having looked in danger of early defeat midway through the afternoon.
Boosted by Lucas Triffitt and Phoenix Sherry’s last-minute availability from county duty, a young side fielded first and bowled steadily throughout. Catching and fielding well they restricted the home team to 135 off 38 overs.
Only Riley and Yousef looked dangerous before Tom Chudley wrapped up the tail with 4 for 3 off 3.2 overs but all the bowlers contributed in a controlled and skilful display.
Runcton soon found themselves in deep trouble as they slipped to 20 for 5 until a splendid partnership developed between Jack Cotton and Will Freeman, who put on almost 100 together to get the visitors up to the line.
Freeman registered a battling 28 and Cotton blossomed to make a career best and quite brilliant 78 not out to see his team home with seven overs to spare.
