DESPITE the disappointment of crashing out of the Sykes Cup quarter-finals at Scholes, Hoylandswaine skipper Alex Morris is still relishing his first-ever sortie into the Drakes Huddersfield League.

“I think it’s a fantastic league, and I’m absolutely loving it at Hoylandswaine,” said the former Yorkshire and Hampshire player, who began his career at nearby Barnsley.

“I’ve known quite a few of the boys up there for many years, so it wasn’t like coming in cold to a new club where I didn’t know anyone.

“I still live in Barnsley and have all my life, apart from the six years I spent in Southampton while playing for Hampshire. And after playing for a couple of seasons in the Bradford League with Hanging Heaton on my return to Yorkshire in 2004, I again went back to play for Barnsley.”

After four more seasons at Shaw Lane, Morris was tempted to try a new challenge at Hoylandswaine, as they prepared to make their bow in the Drakes League Premiership after winning promotion from the Cedar Court Conference at the first attempt.

“It was never intended I was going to be captain when I was first approached to play at Swaine, but circumstances changed, I was offered the position, and I’m really enjoying it now.

“It’s a fantastic set-up here, the tracks are good, and you simply can’t knock the support off the field.”

One of Swaine’s current first team, club secretary and wicketkeeper Phil Chapman, has fond memories of growing up together with Morris in Barnsley’s juniors, more than 20 years ago.

“Alex was a terrific player even then, and was a batsman rather than a bowler, which is how he was regarded at Yorkshire,” reflected Chapman.

“I remember once opening the batting with him against Monk Bretton when we put on 220-odd for the first wicket, and Alex had scored about 150 of them, and he was representing Yorkshire’s Under 15s when he was still Under 13, and later went on to captain England’s Under 19s.”

Morris had four years at Yorkshire, one with the Academy and three as a full-time pro, before moving to Hampshire where he spent six seasons, playing under the captaincy of Robin Smith.

But he was largely used as a medium-quick bowler and batted well down the order.

Back trouble halted his county career, although he later had a few second team trial games with Derbyshire and Notts before heading back to South Yorkshire.

Morris was joined at the Swaine by younger brother Zac, who also played with him at Hampshire (mainly one dayers) and obviously Barnsley, where he too naturally started out.

“Zac gave up playing for a while, but then he joined me at Hanging Heaton for a couple of years and got the bug again,” continued Morris.

The younger Morris has yet to really make his mark either with bat or ball where he bowls slow left-arm and bats lower down the order than his elder brother.

Another newcomer to the Haigh Lane club this season is Australian all-rounder Anthony Marr, who is a sharpish opening bowler, but has created more of an impression with the bat after some useful runs against Kirkburton, Broad Oak and Delph.

“We set out to get an Australian overseas player, and Marr is a real 100% man who gives everything,” continued Morris. “He probably expected to get a few more wickets than he has so far, but his batting has been a bonus, because he only bats No9 or 10 back home, so his runs have been very welcome.

“He’s also been fantastic with the kids and helps with coaching and advice to the Under 9s, 11s and 17s, and wants to do well, as of course, does everyone.”

The fourth newcomer is teenager Ben Potter who has made the short move from Kexborough, and who is proving a very useful acquisition having taken 21 wickets so far, as well as scoring almost 200 in six knocks.

“The club have done really well in getting promotion in their first season last year and we started well in the Premiership, but we are under no illusions.

“This is a very challenging league with some really good sides, and almost everyone is capable of beating anyone. We are looking to build rather than expect instant success, and there has never been any pressure put on the side to start achieving straight away.”

One disappointment for Morris and his team is that Yorkshire’s Joe Sayers has not been available as much as they hoping for, having managed only three games so far.

“Obviously it’s great when Joe plays, but we thought when we signed him that we would get more out of him because he would be available most of June when Yorkshire were playing the Twenty/20 competition, as he was not included in the squad for the short format game.

“Unfortunately, however, the county have told him he has to be there anyway, so it has reduced his availability to us.”

One of the pluses for Swaine this year, however, is the growth in junior cricket, with the club now running teams at Under 9s 11 and 17, all of which has helped them qualify and subsequently be rewarded with the Clubmark award.

“The signs are very encouraging on the junior front, with a lot of recruitment being done in local schools, which has resulted in a large number of kids training at the club on Mondays and Fridays.

“As I said before, I am not realistically expecting us win anything this year, although of course, we will be going all out to retain the Twenty/20 Trophy the side won last year. But I do think that in two or three years time Hoylandswaine will be a genuine force to be reckoned with.”