NEW captain Danny Cranmer’s leadership qualities have been described as playing a key part in Hyde Cricket Club’s move to top of Cheshire’s ECB Premier League.
After last season finishing mid-table having flirted with relegation, it represents a marked upturn in fortunes for the Werneth Low side.
And club secretary John Buckley pinpoints Cranmer’s captaincy as being pivotal.
“The whole squad has bought into what Danny is trying to do. His captaincy and leadership has been excellent,” he explained.
“Danny has led the team – he is fifth in the list of leading wicket takers in the league – and also the club.
“The team ethic Danny has brought has moved the club forward into another gear. We are a miles better team this season.”
Hyde have lost only once of 10 league matches as they are 19 points clear of second-placed Didsbury with Nantwich, who are third, a further 14 points adrift.
Hyde have also won through to the quarter finals of the T20 and were playing at Didsbury on Thursday, June 30 in a mouth-watering tie between the top two teams in the league.
The only blemish was a first-round defeat in the Cheshire Cup to Port Sunlight, a team two divisions below them.
John detailed some of the leading performers with opening batsmen Luke Young and Tom Partridge both in fabulous form.
“Luke has been excellent with bat and ball while Tom, no longer with the weight of the world on his shoulders having given up the captaincy, has been rejuventated.
“A lot of our success has been built on their good starts.”
New signing Andrew Jackson, possibly the best all-rounder in Cheshire, has performed well as has young all-rounder Charlie Barnard who is in Lancashire’s academy.
Wicketkeeper/batsman Adam Worrall has also been contributing well.
Hyde have also had an added bonus with the availability of Lancashire first-team George Balderson for several matches when he has not been needed for county duty.
John said: “George is the best all-rounder in our league.
“He is learning from his peers at Lancashire and, when he plays for us, he increases the level of performance from the players around him.”
John added the young players in the senior side have benefited from the experience of last season and are better for it.
• Hyde’s young players continue to shine with Liam Grindlay starring for Cheshire Under-15s.
Liam scored 262 runs in two days for the county side, 117 not out against Shropshire and the following day an unbeaten 145 versus Wales.
• Hyde also had five players appearing for Cheshire and Lancashire in their recent U12s fixture.
Marcus Buckley and Toby Arrowsmith were in the Cheshire side while representing Lancashire were brothers Haroon and Moosa Kashmiri and Mason Maisuria.