Cannock aiming high on return to top flight
Captain Phil Heighway insists Cannock are not competing just to make up the numbers as they prepare for their first game back in the South Staffordshire County League Premier Division.
Having earned promotion last season, Cannock will return to Premier Division action tomorrow when they host Penkridge.
Returning to the division for the first time since they were forced out of their old base and into their new home in 2019, skipper Heighway hopes his confident group can hold their own.
“We’re really excited about the challenge and it’s where we want to be,” he said. “We want to give it our best shot. We don’t want to be scrapping at the bottom, the aim is to be competing in the league and aim for at least mid-table.
“If you just aim to survive you might fall short, so you have to aim big. We don’t want to make up the numbers, we want to compete in every game and not be looking over our shoulder.
“We’re a tight-knit local side that has a bit of confidence and know the way we want to play.
“Going into this league, all the teams strong but we can definitely say that about us too. Everyone can bowl, bat and field and it’s about bringing that together every time.
“It will be tough and it’s a really good league, there’s no doubt about that, but that makes it exciting. We’re excited about the challenge each week.
“There won’t be any easy games.”
Ahead of the season, Cannock have signed Zimbabwean international Ainsley Ndlovu, bowling all-rounder Dan Bowker and batsman Sam Harris.
Heighway added: “We’re now moving in the right direction. We’ve consolidated as a club and we now want to do that playing in this league and push on in the future. We’re back competing at a really good level so let’s see what we can do.”
Elsewhere in the league, Milford Hall will be looking to improve on their third-place finish last season.
They have made four signings ahead of the new campaign as wicketkeeper and batsman Dan Betty is joined by all-rounder Alex Hammond, Bhargav Patel and Mike Farmer.
Wombourne have brought in all-rounder Shakeel Richards from Barbados, alongside Oliver Siviter and Matthew North.
Beacon will be keen to improve on their fourth-placed finish from last year, while Penkridge will be looking up the league after their fifth-placed finish. Brewood face a test against Hammerwich, while Fordhouses travel to face newly relegated Pelsall.
Newly-promoted Whittington’s opener is against Wolverhampton seconds, who finished mid-table last season.
