Cricket
BARNARD Castle CC will again be led by James Quinn in the 2021 season. Quinn, 26, who is also the club’s coach, has agreed to stay as captain for the fourth successive season.
Director of cricket Michael Stanwix said: “This is great news for Barney.
“It’s a demanding job being in charge of a Premier Division side these days and a lot is expected both on and off the field.
“James has been superb since he took over and has excelled not only as a captain but as a coach. He’s excellent to work with and he has undoubtedly made it his team.”
Quinn had a hard act to follow when he took over from James Finch in 2018.
Finch had been captain for seven seasons and led Barney to their first North Yorkshire & South Durham League title in 2016.
But Quinn equalled that feat immediately. The side sealed the championship on the final day and also won the T20 Macmillan Cup.
“I’m delighted to be asked to be captain of Barney again,” said James.
“It’s the club where I started my cricket and we’ve built something really special over the last few years.”
Captaincy clearly did not affect Quinn’s form either and he was NYSD player of the year in both 2018 and 2019. Although he and the team had a quieter time of it in last year’s curtailed season they are relishing the prospect of a full summer.
Mr Stanwix said: “Obviously with things as they are at the moment we can’t start pre-season practice and it may be that we can’t start the league programme on time in April but hopefully we’ll still be able to somehow to fit in a full season.”
The England and Wales Cricket Board are still working on the premise that the season will begin as usual in April.
More likely is that in the next couple of weeks they will decide to move the start date to mid-May and extend the club league season to late September.
Barney club president Stephen Brenkley said: “Everyone wants to play as much as cricket as possible but it has to be played as safely as possible.
“It would be strange to be playing if we couldn’t open the club, for instance, so that’s something else to be taken into account. Predictions are foolhardy in these times but my dream is to have a summer of top-level cricket with the Barney ground packed to the rafters as usual.”
