Bridgwater Cricket Club well prepared ahead of the 2023 season

On the cricketing side, the club enters Piers McBride’s second season as head coach and the new club captain is outstanding wicket taker Alex Eckland, who joined Bridgwater in 2020.

They hope to take the 1st XI one step further to improve on last season’s creditable 4th place finish and mount a consistent challenge in the WEPL Championship.

Cricket manager Scott Sealey, along with Eckland and McBride, have been busy filling some gaps in the squad.

The signing of Kiwi pacer Jarrod McKay, from Otago, New Zealand, to replace Willams as an overseas professional is exciting for the club, as McKay recently picked up three England caps while appearing in the New Zealand XI against England in February.

McKay is due to arrive in time for the final pre-season game at Sidmouth on April 29 and will provide Bridgwater with genuine momentum at the helm of attack.

Although Alfie Ogborne remains a BCC player, his bowling numbers in club cricket are limited, so Bridgwater have signed Somerset 2nds all-rounder Luke Pearson-Taylor to strengthen their pace bowling options.

Pearson joins from Clevedon CC and is in the same vein as Ogborne, recently spending the winter of 2022 in Australia to give himself every chance to force himself into the professional game.

The club hierarchy are also delighted to have signed Warwickshire all-rounder Jake Lintott until 2023.

Born in Taunton, Lintott has plenty of WEPL experience and should be able to bolster Bridgwater’s line-up for around half of the games, adding his experience and competitiveness as well as an interesting left-arm porcelain option and top-six batting.

The club has not only seen income, with Bridgwater sadly losing Tom Allcoat as he moves back to North Gloucs and club stalwart Ed Habberfield has decided to play a season of Premier Two cricket at Shapwick.

Ally Witts continues to captain the 2nd XI after leading them to the WEPL Premier Two for the first time as they remain the highest ranked 2nd XI in the WEPL.

The 3rd XI will continue in the Somerset Premier Division in 2023 in Division 5 of the Pointers.

Both had superb seasons in 2022 and these teams continue to offer young players a pathway to higher cricketing opportunities, with the experienced Simon Keith leading the Pointers for the first time as Andy Venning’s vice-captain.

The Bridgwater Womans section begins a new chapter as one of eight sides entered the West of England Premier Womens League, a unique initiative that sees the WEPL only the second region to introduce a Women’s Premier League.

The Bridgwater side are once again led by Tilly Bond as coach of Stuart Butt and should be competitive with a number of Somerset Women and Somerset Player Pathway players joining the club and available.

41 Bridgwater cricketers and supporters have just returned from La Manga, having had a great opportunity to enjoy cricket in a much warmer climate, including five T20 games, winning 4 out of 5.

The tour resulted in great exposure for some of the younger cricketers, with excellent training facilities in use, professionally organized and the club likely to visit again next year.

Off the field, Rob Hake continues to be the main man as a dedicated assistant to Andy Higgins.

Matt Habberfield will continue as chairman, Guy Rossiter as commercial director and Ian Higgins as treasurer. Clubhouse and Bar Manager Marc Crisp is looking forward to giving his supporters the excellent reception they are used to.

A proposed extension to the club’s pavilion is still in the pipeline, with plans approved for a 2nd level which will provide better facilities for players, including 1st floor dressing rooms, as well as a balcony and sponsor’s room for match day hospitality.

This allows for the expansion of the club’s bar area and better facilities for all members and supporters. A small phase of this project has been completed, with the rest room facilities moved, the basement expanded and disabled toilets.