CALLINGTON Cricket Club’s first team captain, Aidan Libby, expects his side ‘to compete strongly’ in the LWC Drinks ECB Cornwall Premier League this summer despite being given less than ten weeks to prepare for a return to the top-flight.

The Moores Park outfit were busy getting ready for a fourth consecutive season in County Division One after relegation in 2014, but were consulted by the league a few weeks ago whether they’d swap places with Helston (due to being the highest placed eligible team from last year), after the West Cornwall asked to go down after losing a host of key players over the winter.

Although the fixtures had been released, the Cornwall Cricket League management committee agreed to the request due to the importance of the Premier League having a full compliment of teams in its first season since the division was extended to 12 teams for 2018, and the fact that not many alterations had to be made to the fixtures.

Last summer, a constant turnover of players coupled with their overseas player going home at the end of July meant that they could only finish fourth, 42 points behind runners-up Camborne, who were promoted alongside champions Wadebridge.

But because third-placed Ludgvan were relegated over ECB Clubmark issues, Callington were next in line to go up.

Libby admits that they’d have liked more time to prepare, but his confident that his squad has what it takes to hold their own, starting with their opening day trip to Grampound Road on Saturday, April 21.

He said: “As a club we wanted to go back up this season anyway. As a group of players we sat down and discussed whether we’d want to play Premier League cricket this summer and it was a unanimous decision that we wanted to. In an ideal world it’s probably a season early and we’d like to have had more time to prepare, but we feel like we’re strong enough to compete and we’re ready for the challenge.

“We haven’t played in the league for a few years so I’m sure it’ll be a bit different but we’re looking to compete strongly and make sure that we’re not scraping along at the bottom of the table. We’re definitely not here just to make up the numbers.”

In a bid to ensure that they don’t, Callington have recruited Kiwi all-rounder Ben Millar who enjoyed two prolific summers at local rivals Menheniot-Looe back in 2012 and 2013 and now lives over here and former Somerset second-teamer Gavin Armstrong, who moved to the local area a couple of years ago and is a coach with the Cornwall Under 15s. They’re also waiting for confirmation of the signing of the hard-hitting Andrew Brenton from near neighbours Luckett.

Talking about his new signings, Libby said: “We’ve signed Ben Millar, who used to play for Menheniot-Looe and he’ll play a big part, batting at the top of the order and bowling some off-spin. He hasn’t played for a couple of years due to having a couple of young kids but they’re a bit older now and he’s keen to play.

“We’ve also brought in Gavin Armstrong and he used to be on the books for Somerset when he was younger. He’s also an all-rounder and bowls left-arm and will bat somewhere in the middle order. He’s a coach with the Cornwall Under 15s and knows Andrew Jones really well, so he’s managed to get him on board, even though he hasn’t played for a couple of years as well.

“We’re also awaiting confirmation on the signing of Andrew Brenton from Luckett, but it’s close to being done, while the rest of the squad remains unchanged apart from left-arm fast bowler Jim Shorten, who’s dropped down to captain the second team to give them some experience (in Division Two East). “We won’t be getting an overseas as its too much work these days to get it sorted with the visa changes.

“What I want is to make sure that I get a solid 15-man squad together that’s committed and ready to play. The teams that are the most successful are the ones where you don’t have to make many changes. But we’re really looking forward to the season and returning to Premier League cricket.”

Libby is also looking forward to renewing their rivalry with Werrington, who gave them one of their worst ever defeats last summer when they were thrashed by 150 runs in the semi-finals of the 20-over Clive Rosevear Insurance Hawkey Cup.

He said: We’re really looking forward to playing against Werrington in the league again. They’re obviously a very good team with a squad which has a good age group to keep improving and get better.

“However, we’re looking forward to showing them what we’re about and make sure we don’t roll over like we did in the Hawkey Cup last year.”

Callington’s bid to reclaim the Hawkey Cup title that they last won in 2015 will start with a home game against Division Two East champions Launceston on Wednesday,?May 16 — the team they’ll also welcome to Moores Park in a pre-season fixture on Sunday, April 15.

The winners face a trip to reigning champions Werrington in the quarter-finals, which are scheduled for a fortnight later.