Cleeve Cricket Club

New captain Haswell brings fresh ideas to Cleeve

New captain Mike Haswell has a stark warning for Cleeve – start paying players or the club will be heading back to Division One.

Cleeve, with Haswell leading the way by hitting 703 runs from 15 matches, secured a return to the Senior Division last summer after five years in the Bristol & District second tier.

The Somerset village side start their campaign at Twyford House tomorrow, yet with their rivals starting to fork out sums for star performers, Haswell is urging his side to follow suit. He said: "Cleeve has been a traditional club and they won't pay players.

"There are rumours about me being paid but that's not true. I don't want to see the club relegated.

"It's all well and good to win promotion and lose only one match. We now have to work a lot harder and just pick it up a bit mentally."

Cleeve face a tough opening two fixtures. After House, next weekend they host last summer's Senior Division second-placed side Pak Bristolians. This is the first time for more than 30 years that Haswell, who returned to the club last year after playing professionally in Wales, has captained Cleeve.

He still lives on the other side of the Severn – but is looking forward to also lining up alongside his son James.

"It will be good," he added.

"It is nice to finish my playing days at the club where I started. It is a nice end to it all.

"I did retire but they (Cleeve) talked me out of it. My son is at Filton Academy and he will play for the club this year. It will be nice to have a couple of seasons playing with him."

Former captain Robert Hoffeldt stood down at the end of last summer and Haswell believes that was a good decision.

He added: "Robert's still at the club, still playing but captaining a side is not as easy as it seems.

"There are so many things off the field to deal with as well. It is quite a demanding job. I am sure Rob will remain a major part of the club."

Bristol Evening Post, 1 May 2009