Steve Whitwam intends to use the second half of this season for Golcar to create a platform for future success.
This 2015 campaign hasn’t worked out how he wanted in the Drakes Premiership – especially after last year’s Sykes Cup final appearance – but he’s convinced there are bright years ahead at Swallow Lane.
The skipper, now 33 and destined before too long to become the Drakes League’s all-time leading run-scorer, takes up the story.
“This hasn’t been the season we wanted at all because we haven’t fired with the bat – that’s been our downfall,” said Whitwam, who has 642 runs at 40.13.
“We’ve been bowling well, but Will Hinchliffe was injured and didn’t bowl in the first six matches and we got off to a really bad start.
“We’ve slowly crept back from that, but it’s not easy when you don’t get any momentum at the start of the season and you’re not winning.
“Once you find yourself in that bottom half it can be tough to get out of because it’s a competitive league, and we’ve found it difficult this year.
“Personally, I feel the standard of cricket in the league is getting better. You speak to some of the old boys and they will always tell you it was better back in their day, but I genuinely think this is a good league.
“You’ve got Scholes and Hoylandswaine who are the two best sides this year, but everyone else can beat each other and it’s good.”
Tim Welsford is back from Melbourne seven years after his outstanding 87-wicket season in Golcar colours, and he’s added another 57 victims to that pile , even though the club remain ninth going into today’s game at home to Delph.
That they are so far down the standings is hard to take in when they have talent like James Howson, Craig Ruscoe and Jack Hargreaves on the books.
“Tim is a fantastic bowler and, for me, the best I’ve ever seen in this league,” added Whitwam.
“I base that on his performance last time and the fact he’s doing it again with more wickets than anyone else.
“He is just so consistent and just does enough with the ball. If there are any weaknesses in a batsman he will spot them early and exploit them. He is so clever.”
So what are the aims for the rest of the season?
“We have had to battle our way out of the bottom two initially and, now that we’ve moved three wins away from that, we want to enjoy the second half of the season and finish as high as possible,” he explained.
“I genuinely think we are a top-four side. We are not going to finish in the top four now, but we need to finish as high as possible because we owe that to the club.
“It’s a good club Golcar and we can attract players because of the type of club we are.
“We are well supported, the football club is run out of the cricket club now so it’s packed on Saturdays and that’s what you want – to play in front of big crowds, in a decent atmosphere and in front of people who get behind you. That’s important.
“Myself and Tim are the eldest at 33, but we’ve got good young lads coming through and if we can keep the lads together and add a couple of players next year, we will have a bright future.”
Whitwam points to prospects like Mohammed Ali and Jake Lockwood who are already proving they are first-team quality, and he’s welcomed the chance for everyone to play under the new regulations.
“I was all for the changes and I still am,” said Whitwam, known universally as Cobber because of his Australian upbringing.
“You shouldn’t be allowed to bowl down the leg side and everything favours the batsmen, but then it’s a batsmen’s game these days.
“When you watch the one-day internationals it’s all about runs and people want to see the ball being smashed out of the ground.
“I’m still loving my cricket.
“It’s been difficult this year with not winning so much, but I am enjoying my batting and I’m doing okay.
“I’m not bowling as much but that’s because Will and Tim have been doing so well of late. I think they are the best opening attack in the league – they are class – and it’s just a shame we haven’t been able to bacdk them up with the bat. That’s the disappointing thing.”
Finally, what about the Ashes?
“My prediction before the start was 3-1 to Australia, but England have come out well, so it’s going to be interesting in the next few Tests,” he answered.
