As the cricket season draws nearer teams ready themselves for the 2023 season. Here is a look at Witham Cricket Club.
Witham finished in eleventh place last year, coming bottom of the East Anglian Premier League (EAPL). Over twenty games they mustered 222 points from a possible 500 points. Overall they were fourth in the table on batting points and came out on top on bowling points, however, this was not enough to help off the foot of the table as Frinton On Sea Cricket Club, the team tenth in the table, amassing 228 points, six points more than the team below them.
The strugglers from last season will be hoping for improvement in 2023 and with two new signings they will be looking up the table. Their first signing, announced on their Twitter page on December 13th, is Jordan Hermann.Hermann is the first South African to score a 50 on his first class, List-A and twenty-twenty debut, the club said “a classy top order batsman who bowls handy spin”. We should see Hermann debut for Witham in their first game against newcomers Wisbech town. Talking to the club Hermann said “[I am] very excited to be joining Witham for the 2023 East Anglian Premier League. Excited to win some matches both on and off the field.”
First team captain, Jake Wakelin, is very excited for the arrival of his new batsman, “[I am] over the moon to sign Jordan, looking forward to taking the field with him bringing extra quality to our lineup.”
Witham’s second signing is one for the future, not just for cricket in the Two Counties Championship and East Anglian Premier, but for Essex Cricket Club and possibly England. All-rounder Jamal Richards has signed for Witham for the 2023 season, currently playing at Essex Cricket Club and England under-19s, the club tweeted “we are pleased to announced the signing of Jamal Richards for the 2023 season… we look forward to seeing him in a Witham shirt in April.”
Talking to the club’s website Richards said, “[I am] looking forward to playing with Witham this year in the East Anglian Premier League. Hopefully we can go on to have a strong 2023.” Happy with another stand-out signing, first team captain Jake Wakelin said, “Great times at Witham with another exciting all-rounder joining the club. Jamal’s undoubted ability with bat and ball will bring additional strength to the First Team.”
With the announcement of these two signings bolstering Witham’s squad, they will face stiff competition from players already in the squad. Micheal Godwin topped the club’s leading run scorers with 1,271 runs, this was rewarded as Godwin made his debut for Suffolk in the minor counties cricket league.
Topping the wicket taking leader board for the 2022 season is first team captain Jake Wakelin with 47 wickets. Wakelin is closely followed by fellow first teamer Greg Stephens, taking 41 wickets. The club’s instagram said, “the spin duo have been very impressive in our 1st team’s first outing in the East Anglian Premier League.”
Witham will hope to improve on their performance from last year by climbing up the East Anglian Premier League table. Their first match will be against newcomers Wisbech Town Cricket Club.
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