Roebuck to lead assault!

Jan 3 2008 by David Lockwood, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

CHARLIE ROEBUCK has been named Huddersfield’s team captain for their tilt at this year’s Joe Lumb Cup competition.

The Broad Oak all-rounder is one of several players in the squad who can boast Yorkshire experience at different age group levels which should once again make the Drakes League Under 17s a formidable outfit.

The 16-year-old had a disappointing season with the bat as the Oak finished runners-up in the Frank Platt Conference, and then lost out to Clayton West in the play-off final.

Bbut he did take 29 wickets with his medium pacers – his best a six for 28 return at Conference champions Holmfirth – and he’ll be joined in the side by his club colleague Jack Hargreaves, another Yorkshire regular.

So too is Gurman Randhawa, who played his first-ever season in the Drakes League in 2007 when he took the massive leap up from the Almondbury Wesleyans to play with Lascelles Hall in the Drakes Premiership.

He had a top score of 38 against Elland and made an unbeaten 37 against Meltham, while he enjoyed one five-wicket haul, ironically against League champions Honley.

Also in the 2008 squad is Denby Dale’s Callum Geldart (who is vice-captain to Roebuck), and Micklehurst’s Lancashire county junior spinner Aaron Lilley, so competition for a place in the team is guaranteed to be intense this season.

Huddersfield have been placed in Group B, alongside the traditionally strong Bradford team, and those of Barnsley, Airedale and Wharfedale and Sheffield.

However, coach Richard Dodson has moulded a very strong unit over the last few years, and next year’s squad is sure to be no exception.

The provisional dates for the Huddersfield matches (venues to be decided) are:

Sunday May 11 v Bradford away; Sunday May 25 v Barnsley home; Sunday June 8 v Craven home; Sunday June 22 v Nidderdale home; Sunday July 6 v Aire-Wharfe home; Sunday July 20 v Doncaster away; Sunday, Aug 3 v Sheffield, away.