HE may be the youngest skipper in the Drakes League, but he is carrying a lot of expectation on his fledgling shoulders this season.

May 17 2008 by David Lockwood, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

For James Noble has not only the responsibility of plotting Scholes’ immediate return to the Premiership, but also at the same time equipping a side capable of staying there.

Having established themselves as one of the League ‘big hitters’ around the Millennium, winning the League Championship in back-to-back seasons in 2000 and 2001, while winning the Sykes Cup in 96, and appearing in three further finals, in the last few seasons they have suffered a bit of a downward trend, culminating in relegation at the end of last season.

But 24-year-old Noble is clear as to what both his, and the team’s focus is this summer.

“My two aims for this season are firstly to get us back into the Premiership and secondly to bring on our own young lads,” explained Noble, following his best knock to date this season – 75 against Rastrick.

“Last year was just awful. We got away to a poor start, losing half-a-dozen games by less than 10 runs. And although we finished the season really well and came close to winning the Hopkinson Trophy, you can’t expect to stay up with that sort of record.

“On top of that our overseas man Dave Smyth was very disappointing last season. When he came to us in 2006 he did a bit with the ball, and scored a few runs.

“But then he went off to train with Yorkshire and when he came back to us he’d lost it!

“As a team you need to bat around your pro, which is what we’ve always done at Scholes, whether it’s been with Wasim Jaffer or Sammy Dighe and now with Shoaib Khan.”

Shoaib was recruited through Asim Khan (no relation) and was Bowling Old Lane’s overseas pro in the Bradford League’s First Division last season, where he finished 18th in the batting averages with 584 runs (ave 30.74) with a top score of 76, while he also claimed 33 wickets (ave 17.58).

“Shoaib has played over here for a number of years, including in Ireland, so he knows what to expect with regard to conditions, but in truth it’s not easy for any overseas player coming up here to Chapelgate, following in the footsteps of Wasim, who still casts a big shadow,” continued Noble.

“Shoaib was out for a duck in the first game against Linthwaite when he went back to a straight one, and was a bag of nerves before he went out for his second knock against Broad Oak. And although he was a bit scratchy early on, he soon settled and went on to finish unbeaten with 104.

“On the whole we are a young side with just the experience of Tom Weston, Richard Holmes and Andy Alsop to count on, as well as Asim, but of course no-one knows just how old he is!

“It’s difficult at the start of the season, because never having played in the Conference before it’s a whole new experience and I don’t really know what to expect, although I think Broad Oak will probably be our main rivals to the Cedar Court title.

“We hammered them in the league in the second game, but then they returned the compliment the day after in the Cup, although we did have to go into the game a bowler light, when Asim couldn’t play, and he’d taken four for 16 the previous day.”

Before that Scholes beat Linthwaite fairly comfortably, and then had a real breeze against Rastrick last Saturday, winning by more than 200 runs after skittling the Round Hillers for 53 after another century from Shoaib, backed up by Noble himself and Jamie Clayton, who struck a well-timed 38.

“Jamie is one of our up-and-coming young players, and a good batsman who scored an unbeaten 45 against Broad Oak, and my intention is to bring on players like him, the Brook brothers, Josh and Tom, and Joe Hinchliffe, and if they aren’t getting much action in the first team, I’ll play them in the Seconds where they will be involved.”

Noble, more commonly known among his teammates as Keith (even on occasions by his own mother, according to the player himself), took over as first team captain midway through last season when Dave Weston stood down (he subsequently moved to Barkisland during the winter).

“Unfortunately, last season the concentration was firmly off the field, on building and getting the new bar lounge and tea room ready, and the team became the second priority,” added Noble.

“And although I certainly wouldn’t change it for the world because it’s now a fantastic facility, it was a bit distracting when you were trying to practice and people were discussing the colour of the carpets and the like.

“This year the focus is firmly on the field and getting back into the top flight, and although it’s early days things are going ok. Matty Smith had started well and has had back-to-back 50s, while Andy Alsop is getting his confidence back with his bowling after a long injury to a shoulder.

“The only bright spot last term was winning the Examiner Twenty/20 which surprised a few people (including, I have to admit, the Examiner cricket writer).

“We played some good sides on the way to the final, such as Delph and Dobcross, Micklehurst and Clayton West, and it was really the young lads who got us there.

“They were so determined to do well when we got to the final against Honley. Their attitude was we had nothing to lose, and they got us a brilliant victory.”

They might be out of the Sykes Cup and Paddock Shield, but already they are five points clear of Broad Oak and Kirkheaton.

And although Scholes still have a long way down the Conference road to travel, Noble is keen to see they get the trip and nurture his even younger teammates back into the Premiership, where he will be hoping again to mix it with the big boys in the Drakes League next season.