Nick Ison’s latest blog from Upminster CC
Alan Hansen famously said ‘You can’t win anything with kids’ but then the great Class of ’92 proved him wrong and dominated English football for years.
It is a very interesting time at our club at the moment.
The players who have occupied our 1st XI for the past 10 years are starting to reach the end of their 1st XI playing time and being replaced by a new batch of talented youngsters.
The Division One table may not look good for us, but we can take positives from the fact that we’ve had four under-17 players play 1st XI cricket this season.
Will Chuter has played all year in the ones, after only previously playing a handful of games in the twos.
He was given the new ball a few weeks ago and has prospered since and even managed to pick up his first senior five-wicket haul against Southend.
Frankie Hazel has stepped up his game this season and is finally showing the potential we have seen for the past couple years.
He spent the first half of the season smashing 2nd XI attacks all over the park and finally took his chance in the 1st XI against Southend, scoring 79.
Frankie has the technique and temperament to be a leading batsman for the club for years to come.
Another youngster made his 1st XI debut this past weekend in 16-year-old Louis Pickering.
Standing tall at 6ft 7in Louis has all the attributes to be a top all-rounder. In Chuter’s absence, he was given the new ball this weekend and returned with decent figures of 2-59.
Hopefully he can get a decent run in the team during the next few weeks and he can show his potential with the bat.
Talented all-round sportsman Oliver Heazel has also made his 1st XI debut this season and we also have a number of colts playing and contributing all down the teams.
Josh Lamont scored his maiden century in the Matchplay this past weekend and he will feature for the 2nd XI for the first time this weekend.
Whatever happens this season with the 1st XI, I feel as a club we can be optimistic for the future if these youngsters keep improving and working hard.
Hopefully the core of the 1st XI for the next 10 years will all be home-grown players and you never know they may prove Alan Hansen wrong also.
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