ROYAL Wootton Bassett CC captain Akash Sharma has expressed his “overwhelming happiness” after leading the club to the 2022 WEPL Wiltshire title last weekend.
Bassett lost by four wickets to Potterne seconds on home soil, but claimed the Wiltshire crown by 10 points ahead of Swindon who only managed 19 points from a possible 26 courtesy of their four-wicket success at home to Westbury and District.
The Gerard Buxton Sports Ground side could have sealed the title against bitter rivals Swindon on August 13, but Swindon won by 96 runs, meaning Bassett had to wait until the last day to taste victory.
Describing the title win, Sharma said: “We’ve tried for two years to really try and pitch up the league, so it’s a culmination of two years’ worth of hard work.
“I don’t think anyone can argue that we haven’t deserved it, we’ve only lost eight games of cricket in two years.
“The boys have worked incredibly hard for the past two years now, and it is nice to reap the rewards with them. Going up to WEPL Premier Two, which is a serious standard.
“It’s even nicer winning it with mates who you’ve grown up playing with from a young age.”
Bassett’s title-winning season featured 12 victories and just three defeats - with one abandoned - while the club topped the bowling bonus points and came second in the batting equivalent.
Looking ahead to next season, in WEPL Premier two, Sharma is already relishing the challenge of the cricket club competing in a higher division and hopefully maintaining the positive momentum they have gathered.
“The overarching feeling is one of excitement – we haven’t been there for a number of years,” said Sharma.
“Preparation is going to be absolutely key for what we’re trying to achieve.
“Staying in the league next year is the priority, it doesn’t matter how you stay up.
“If you look at Marshfield, they stayed up in the first year after they got promoted and now they’re floating towards the top half of the league.
“We don’t just want to be the whipping boys of the league.”
Sharma continued: “We’re under no illusions we’re going to have to bring a few players in. I think we’re an attractive place to come and play cricket now.
“The facilities are good, the ground’s good, the club’s better than it’s ever been in the last 10-15 years, so we’ve got to carry on the ride on this wave.
“We’re 100 per cent coming up for the fight, absolutely.”
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