By Gary Heatly
The domestic competitive cricket season is back!
On Saturday, teams up and down the country will begin the 2023 campaign at all different levels with hopes and dreams of what the new season could bring.
In Western Premiership One, reigning champions M8 Driving Ferguslie begin the campaign on the road at McCrea FS West of Scotland.
Ferguslie skipper Haroon Tahir said: “I am really looking forward to the season starting on Saturday against West of Scotland who we know can be a very dangerous side.
“We had quite a successful year last year and will be looking to be just as successful this year.
“We have unfortunately lost Riyaad Henry to Stewart’s Melville and when you lose somebody of that calibre, they are never easy to replace.
“However, we have a good squad and we have signed a new professional from South Africa called Muhammed Mayet who I am really looking forward to playing alongside this year.
“Muhammed is a very talented cricketer, and he has already made quite the impression by scoring 100 and a 50 in our pre-season friendlies.
“I am excited to be captaining the group this year as we have a very talented group of guys. I have good experience captaining the side in T20s and I want to take things forward in the 50-over format.
“Bahadar Esakhiel, who played for the club as a junior, has returned and he, Uzair Ahmad and Qasim Khan are all talented cricketers who will hopefully be representing Scotland Under 19s in the coming months too.
“Adil Ghaffar and Taimoor Ahmad will be key players for us this season and are the guys that I am expecting huge things from as they continue to push for the national men’s side.”
As well as the West-Ferguslie match, Your Move Dumfries are taking on Greenock, Stenhousemuir are playing Tunnocks Uddingston, Prestwick are at Ayr and Clydesdale are on the road to SM Cricket Stirling County in week one of Western Premiership One.
Like Ferguslie, 2022 Eastern Premier League champions Heriot’s are away from home to kick things off on Saturday.
They are at Stoneywood Dyce and Heriot’s captain Lloyd Brown said: “We are really excited to get the season going, it would be really good for the club to get three titles in a row and in addition to the league we are also going to be targeting the national T20 event and the Scottish Cup.
“The squad is fairly settled from last year while we have been able to add James Dickinson who has moved from RH Corstorphine.
“Looking at the recruitment that some clubs have done I really think it is going to be a very competitive league and I don’t think there will be many one-sided games.”
As well as Stoneywood Dyce-Heriot’s, also in week one in this division Gen!us Grange welcome Stewart’s Melville to Portgower Place, Carlton are taking on Meigle, RH Corstorphine are on the road to Falkland and Watsonians and Forfarshire meet at Myreside.
Arbroath United dropped out of the Eastern Premier League at the end of last season and they begin life in SPCU North East Championship at home to Freuchie in a tasty looking match up.
Keegan Crawford and Jared Meiring have joined the Arbroath ranks while Freuchie finished in fifth place last year in what was a very competitive division which Meigle won.
Aberdeenshire were second last year, and they start 2023 on the road to Forfarshire 2.
Huntly and Gordonians were third and fourth last year respectively and they are meeting in week one at Castle Park, Strathmore are taking on Falkland 2 and Kinloch are on the road to Perth Doo’cot.
