Senior Captains Announcement

The season preparations are well under way under the watchful eye of our first team skipper Tom Rickarby and our new coach Brendan ‘Tangles’ Adams. As we know Rickars brings a wealth of Premier cricket experience to the role and is keen to see the development of our talented crop of youngsters continue. Signing off 2022/23 with a win against the eventual premiers in the last round with five players 21 or younger we are well placed with Rickars steering the ship to continue to improve our results in the senior eleven. Tangles has hit the ground running and impressed with his infectious enthusiasm and passion for the game.

We are now in a position to announce the rest of the leadership positions to join these two

2nd XI - James Lynch

James Lynch carried out captaincy duties for the second eleven in 2022/23 so creditably and we are delighted to announce he will continue to skipper the side for 2023/24. Jim will be looking to take the team a step further than last year when they were in the finals race right up until the last game of the season. He brings a calm, considered, quiet but very influential style of captaincy and is very well regarded by the young players who have played in the twos in recent seasons. Jim is a club stalwart who is closing in on 200 appearances. He has knowledge of how each of our four sides work and fit together and will be instrumental in preparing our talented youth for first team cricket. On a personal level he comes off a season of 500 runs at 47.4 and by this season’s end may just be in the top three run getters of all time at Malvern.

3rd XI - Charles Journeaux

We desperately missed consistency in leadership in the threes last year and the appointment of Charles Journeaux, another club stalwart and experienced captain, will address this. Again the club is delighted with this appointment. After a short sabbatical and the tempter of a single half completed match last season, Chad returns to strengthen our leadership and playing strength and will ensure the 3rd Eleven returns to its customary place at the pointy end of the competition. In addition we hope his return will encourage others of his demographic to get back into their cricket and enjoy everything Malvern has to offer. 287 games and almost 5000 runs suggest he more than holds his own in terms of cricketing nous and ability. As well as bringing on our talented youngsters we need Chad to restore the tough, competitive attitudes to growth and success.

4th XI - Hamish Duggan

Hamish Duggan has been reappointed to be 4th team captain and completes a trio of senior positions with amazing longevity at the club. As has been well documented Hamish has an enviable record of playing and winning finals and knows what success at a club like Malvern requires. Needing just four wins to become the first ever skipper in Rooster history to win 100 games Hammer remains at the helm of the 4th XI for a seventh consecutive season. With the relegation last year of the 3s and 4s to a lower division the challenge for Hamish, Chad and all at the club is to harness the junior quality together with the more experienced players we retain and recruit. We must return to the higher division as soon as possible and reset the winning and growth mentality normally found at Malvern. Alongside his regular vice captain Matt Elliot, Hamish is likely to hit 300 games this year and go into the top 10 in terms of appearances for the club.

Colts (Sunday) - Jonathan Brookes

Jonathan Brookes continues in the role of Colts XI skipper. Brookesy will ensure we maintain and further consolidate the much improved connection we have enjoyed over the last few seasons between our Sunday cricket and our senior VSDCA Saturday teams.

Chairman of Selectors - Tim Brown

We also have reappointed Tim Brown as Chair of Cricket/Selectors. Tim would have a similar length of tenure at Malvern if he hadn’t taken on a life challenge and returned to London where he applied Malvern attitudes and approaches to a similar Surrey based club. With experience of several roles at both clubs his expertise will help us meld the talents we have together. Tim is to work with all the leadership group to ensure everything works effectively. Making sure the senior playing side is aligned with the Juniors, and the Colts is also part of his remit.

Summary - David Priddle - President

On behalf of everyone associated with Malvern I congratulate each of the appointees and look forward to them leading their elevens in a manner befitting our great club ensuring the appropriate respect for umpires, the opposition and the game itself. I wish them well together with our other playing representatives on the committee - Mick McKenna, Matt Elliot and Pete Lambos. There is a balance to be struck with the new and fresh ideas from Rickers, Tangles, Andrew Fekete and our other new recruits alongside the experience and knowledge of Jim, Chad, Hamish and Tim.

Winning games and developing the talent, and enthusiasm of our younger players will provide what promises to be an exciting season.