The new cricket season is upon us, with the opening round of matches in both the Nottinghamshire Premier League, and Bassetlaw & District League, this coming Saturday, and there’s some interesting openers to be seen.

Cavaliers & Carrington CC, last season’s Premier Division champions, by four from Cuckney CC, have brought in Viken Kedaira, from the Leicestershire Premier League, and Umar Amin, as the overseas player, will open the new campaign when away to last seasons’ Division Two runners-up, Mansfield Hosiery Mills CC.

Cuckney CC, they’ve brought in Cavs’ Adam Tillcock, and Bailey Richards as their overseas player for the new season, they have tough visitors on the season in Kimberley CC, who’ve brought in South African star, Ximus Du Plooy as they, along with last season’s top two, challenge for the title.

With Mansfield HM hosting Cavs, last season’s Division Two champions, West Bridgfordians CC, who’ve added Ben Shaw and Dom Harvey, start the new season away to Clifton Village CC.

Papplewick CC will also look to be challenging and, although having lost Brent Williams, have added the likes of Sakhu Ndlela and Eamonn Vines to an already strong squad and host Radcliffe on Trent CC; with Attenborough CC losing two players to newcomers West Bridgfordians, they’ve added Zak Tribe; and Clifton Village CC have added Pawantha Weerasingha.

Hucknall CC have been busy, adding that of Daniel Blatherwick, Dom Wheatley, Nicol Loftie-Eaton, and Harrison Tagg to their squad, they pushing for a top four finish; the same is said of Radcliffe on Trent CC, who’ve added James Exley and Irfan Haider to theirs; whilst Plumtree CC bring in Dane Schadendorf to help their challenge at the top also.

Mansfield HM CC have replaced the outgoing Rachid Oneale, and brought in that of Chris Fletcher and Gareth Curtis, whilst Wollaton CC have added Ben Fletcher.

Opening fixtures in NPL Premier (Saturday 22 April)

Clifton Village CC vs. West Bridgfordians; Cuckney CC vs. Kimberley CC; Hucknall CC vs. Attenborough CC; Mansfield Hosiery Mills CC vs. Cavaliers & Carrington CC; Papplewick & Linby CC vs. Radcliffe on Trent CC; Plumtree CC vs. Wollaton CC

Relegated from the Premier Division are Notts & Arnold CC and Gedling & Sherwood CC, both of whom start life in the NPL’s second tier, on the road; the former, they travel to Clipstone CC, whilst the latter, they’re at Caythorpe CC, on a busy, opening weekend.

Both sides will be looking to go back up at the first attempt and Notts have brought in Nathan Khelawon with Johan Cronje departing, whilst Gedling have welcomed Tom Wood ahead of the new campaign.

The two newcomers to the league, who’d love to be pushing boundaries at the top end come the latter stages, are that of Notts Unity (South Nottinghamshire Cricket League champions), and Papplewick & Linby2s CC (Bassetlaw & District League champions).

In the newly-expanded Division Two, Notts Unity open at home Collingham & District CC, whilst Papplewick 2s make the trip to Thoresby CC; Unity have made several changes ahead of the new season, departing is Ahmed Iqbal, Awais Zafar, whilst they welcome that of Hassan Chaudry and Muhammed Asim, whilst Papplewick 2s have seen Aled King and Saeed Ahmed depart.

The Division Two opening fixtures (22 April)

Cavaliers & Carrington 2s CC vs. Balderton CC; Caythorpe CC vs. Gedling & Sherwood CC; Clipstone CC vs. Notts & Arnold CC; Notts Unity Casuals CC vs. Collingham & District CC; Thoresby Colliery CC vs. Papplewick & Linby 2s CC; Wellbeck CC vs. Cuckney 2s CC

The seven-strong division, Bassetlaw & District Cricket League is also due to start this month, games running through from their Championship, through Divisions 1-6, alongside the running of the John J Mallen T20 Cup.

This coming Saturday (22 April) sees Retford CC at home to Worksop CC, Welbeck 2s away to Whitwell CC, and Mansfield HM cc 2S at Bawtry with Everton CC, whilst in the cup, the first round draw (to be played 21 May, unless stated) is as follows –

Farnsfield CC vs, Kiveton Park Colliery CC; North Wheatley with Leverton CC vs. Worksop CC; Mansfield HM CC 2s vs. Clumber Park CC (19 May); Ordsall Bridon CC vs. Bawtry with Everton CC

Byes (to quarter-finals) Welbeck CC; Harthill CC; Whitwell CC; Thoresby Colliery 2s CC.

*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @NottsPrem Richard Parkes action shot of a Radcliffe on Trent batter.