HOLSWORTHY Cricket Club will head into the upcoming Bond Timber Cornwall Cricket League season without an overseas for the first time in four years.

The Trees have enjoyed great success in recent seasons - firstly with South African Herschelle Poggenpoel before Australian Noah Pigdon was also a fine acquisition in 2025.

However, the following the mid-season returns of Jack Greening, Matt Shepherd and Rob Mitchell which ensured their survival, the Devon-based side should still compete well in Division Two East.

Club chairman Ryan Walter, who is set for his 17th successive summer as first team captain, said: “The logistics of an overseas didn’t work out this year which is disappointing, but it creates a few more opportunities for people and hopefully we can all step up and contribute.”

The Trees also held their annual general meeting at Stanhope Park on Friday, December 5.

Ryan Smith has taken over from Ryan Bridgman as second team captain for their Division Five East campaign, while Liam Brend is the new Sunday skipper in the North Devon League.

Freya Godfrey and Rebecca Sharp lead the hardball and softball teams respectively in the women’s section.

Off the field, first-team player Aiden Gerry has stood down following a lengthy stint as secretary to be replaced by Hannah Steadman, while youth co-ordinator Dan Marks is taking a back seat.

Jack Greening is set to take on the coaching side which will see three youth teams and the continuation of the All Stars and Dynamos programmes.

Walter concluded: “On behalf of the club I’d like to say a big thanks to Dan for all of his efforts running the youth over the last decade or so.

“He’s been incredibly influential in getting our youth set-up to the place it is today from basically nothing, but we’re delighted that he’s still going to be around to help out when needed.”