It has been a long two years since their last Championship appearance but Letchworth Garden City are more than ready to stride back into the spotlight.
The club produced a stunning promotion season in 2023 to propel themselves back to the second tier of the Herts Cricket League on the final day, alongside north Hertfordshire rivals Preston
And with overseas leg-spinner Zac Hayes returning to Whitethorn Lane for 2024, first-team captain Harry Aitkenhead is feeling very upbeat ahead of the campaign.
He said: "Nobody wants to be relegated but going down to Division One presented us with an opportunity to re-set and focus on our club ethos of homegrown talent and hard work.
"Of the 21 players who featured in 2023, 16 were Letchworth juniors who had played from the ages of seven or eight and our average age was just 24.
"It’s been the best winter I can remember in terms of hard work and dedication and we’re now returning to the Championship a much stronger, fitter, closer and more well-rounded side than in 2021.
"We can’t wait to get going and the sky's the limit for this squad going forwards."
The club has run free winter training for all its members, with five Saturday teams entered into the Herts League again this summer.
The seconds and thirds are in the new surroundings of Division Tree A and Seven E while the fourths move back to Division 10 North after winning the league in 2023 under the captaincy of Paul Hubbard.
A total of 102 people played a senior game for the club last summer, aged between 13 and 60, with all elements of the club thriving.
The junior section now has 180 juniors registered, including 33 girls, and are sponsored by Nandos for 2024.
There are 16 junior teams, both boys and girls and all coached by qualified volunteers, and they are entered into competitive cricket this summer.
The ECB-led All-Star and Dynamo programmes will also be run for children aged between five and 11.
They have not been napping off the field either.
The club’s second ground at Fairfield Park, has undergone a refurbishment which includes putting in a brand-new cafe and bar for the first time, with the hope being these renovations benefit not just Letchworth players and their opponents, but also Hertfordshire junior teams and residents who can pop along and enjoy refreshments from the pavilion during matches.
Chairman Simon Manning said all the work done on and off the field has been aimed at increasing participation and sport in Letchworth and the surrounding area.
He said: "The refurbishments at Fairfield will transform the experience of playing or watching cricket at the ground and can be a game changer for residents who enjoy an afternoon in the sun.
"All of the work we’ve done over the last few years has been aimed at growing the game in north Hertfordshire at all levels and we’re incredibly proud now of our junior and senior sections, boys and girls.
"I’m looking forward to seeing the growth of the club in 2024 on and off the field and have no doubt that we’re in the best position we’ve been in for a number of years now."
The senior league season starts on May 11 when the firsts go to Chorleywood.
For more information on the club and how to join, go to letchworth.play-cricket.com/home
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