SENIOR REVIEW 2025 - 2ND XI
As noted in the 1st XI review for 2025, senior Saturday cricket this season was thrown into chaos with the loss of a number of players to injury. Nick Marsh's men will have gone into the season quietly confident of a good showing after a 2024 season filled with promise. Unfortunately the loss of several players to the 1st XI weakened the bowling attack, while Sam Collins departed for Woodbank and the Doc spent all but 2 matches sidelined with injury.
With the ongoing absence of Faisal, Jack Schofield, Si Marsh and Paul to 1st XI duties, work and injury, a lot of bowling was shouldered by the inexperienced trio of Sam Woolley, George Sowden and Luke Hall, with the usual steady support from Katie, skipper Nick Marsh and Nick "the Burglar" Taylor. The batting strength of a number of sides plus a Tottington wicket made for batsmen meant that returns were hard to come by, especially against the powerful strikers of Unsworth, Darcy and Deane and Derby. Fielding also suffered in the face of such onslaughts, not an unfamiliar problem for the 2nds with dropped catches proving highly expensive in a couple of games.
The batting line up was also inconsistent in availability, with Tom Richards, Kev and Paul missing much of the season, while Lucas Bright-Lees spent much of his year in the 1sts. This did however allow for two particularly bright spots. Mike Watts took the batting honours in 2025, thanks to two superb career-first centuries at the back end of the campaign. His return of over 580 runs was excellent and bodes well for next year. However it was the form of Clive Brooks that captured the eye, especially in the middle of the year. Having previously languished at the bottom of the order, a promotion to number 3 did wonders, with a number of really positive starts finally turning into a superb 78 against Unsworth. Coupled with a very good series of performances behind the stumps, it was almost certainly Clive's best season in some time. Indeed he also shone in a couple of first team games, with a lightning legside stumping off Callum wowing spectators of a certain vintage!
The batting also saw a number of good performances from young all-rounder Sam Woolley, who managed to achieve both a maiden half century and several other strong efforts alongside senior 5 wicket hauls. This was a really big positive for 2025. Al Ruffers (not Snr, not Jnr!) managed a run of games before his own injury issues - his 112 not out and unbeaten partnership of 170 with Jnr against Clifton was May's highspot. George and Katie formed a steady and reliable new ball attack, while the return of Fez towards the end of the season saw the team put in their best run of games all year. Indeed, the form showed in the last month, with wins against promoted Bolton Indians, Astley and Tyldesley and a potential victory against Egerton stolen by the rain, indicated that a full-strength side could well have challenged for honours.
Nick Marsh was a reliable and capable skipper, as always, though observers from the sidelines, your writer included, think he should have bowled more and earlier in some games - we do understand his desire to give the younger bowlers as many overs as possible to help their development, which is admirable. He also put in his usual selfless performances with the bat, including a terrific half century against A&T.
As with the 1sts, this has proven to be very much a transition season, with plenty of game time for a series of junior players, and a very steep learning curve against some powerful opposition. If better availability, continued youth development and a little more luck comes their way in 2026, this side has the potential to challenge again and start to move up the divisions.
