Garstang CC captain wants to see a team effort in 2022

Garstang start the Northern Premier Cricket League on Saturday when Netherfield visit the Riverside.

Gilbert took charge over the winter, replacing Mark Walling who stepped down at the end of last season after six years in the role.

Prior to that announcement, Walling had said the club needed to bolster its batting and bowling options this year in order to have the best possible chance of improving on last year’s fifth place.

Jacob Procter and Rizwan Patel have bolstered the bowling ranks, while former Morecambe captain Ryan Pearson gives them another option with the bat.

Indian professional Punit Bisht has returned with a third year with the club after scoring almost 2,500 runs in his first two seasons.

While delighted to have Bisht’s services at his disposal, Gilbert is wary of relying too much on him to do the bulk of the work.

He said: “I think we were perhaps a bit over-reliant on Punit at the end of 2019, when he scored 1,600 runs.

“At the same time, when he spends that amount of time batting, however, it’s hard not to rely on him!

“We all have to taken on a bit more responsibility though and, with a few more recruits, it’s going to add competition for places.

“If people don’t perform with the ball or the bat, then we know we have options if needed.”

Gilbert’s appointment as captain also comes at a time when cricket continues its journey back to relative normality following the pandemic.

Different rules and regulations had been brought in as the sport attempted to play matches in the safest possible way.

However, 2022 looks like being a return to the sport players were accustomed to.

“It’s been a great pre-season,” Gilbert added.

“It’s been nice to have a real go at it, unlike last year when we couldn’t start training until March.

“We’ve had pre-season games which have been a chance for the new recruits to blend in.

“We know we can use sweat on the ball but we can’t use saliva – apart from that, I think it’s as you were.”