CROMER Cricket Club's pre-season preparations gather pace this weekend with two practice nets and a ground work party at Overstrand Road.A junior net takes place on Sunday 10am-noon in Cromer Sports Hall with boys and girls of all ages up to 16 welcome under the guidance of qualified coaches, cost £2.

CROMER Cricket Club's pre-season preparations gather pace this weekend with two practice nets and a ground work party at Overstrand Road.

A junior net takes place on Sunday 10am-noon in Cromer Sports Hall with boys and girls of all ages up to 16 welcome under the guidance of qualified coaches, cost £2. The senior net follows from 2-4pm at the same venue.

Also on Sunday, from 10am-2pm, a work party will meet at the clubhouse to make first preparations for the new season. All club members are invited to help for as long as they wish.

The club are looking forward to the new season with justified optimism. With a pool well in excess of 30 players, captains Tom Davies and Andy van Greuning will be looking to improve on last year's placings in the Alliance Premier Division and Norfolk League Division Three respectively. New signings James and Alex Craske from Bradfield and Charlie Webster from Overatrand have strengthened the club with their all-round abilities, and professional Rayno Arendse from South Africa is due to return soon.

Senior players such as Michael Warnes, Richard Charlwood and skipper Davies will be hoping to continue their personal development and help the senior side to make a genuine attempt to topple Downham Town, worthy winners last year, off their perch at the top of the Alliance. The competition will be tough, but after the third place finish last year there is now a genuine belief that a realistic attempt can be made on the title. Van Greuning will have at his disposal the expected mixture of youth and experience, but particular young talents like John Battrick and David Turner should really make their mark this year.

Promotion into Division Two of the Norfolk League is the target, with the possibility of election into the proposed extended Alliance for 2009 the hoped for reward.

There is no room for complacency, but with more players, more committee members prepared to work and more revenue being generated there is a real hope that 2008 could be a big step forward for the club.