The new season starts imminently and after the excitement of the last season many will have spent the

winter months imagining how 2015 would pan out.

As sometimes happens when a team achieve success, it is broken up and a rebuilding process starts.

That is what has happened to Darlington.

Several key players have made the decision to leave the club and play their cricket elsewhere.

Jonathan Barnes has transferred to Mainsforth CC

Ben Wicling has transferred to Murton CC

Peter Armstrong has transferred to Norton CC

Dan Hodgson has transferred to a team in the Bradford league

Dan Baldwin has transferred to Castle Eden CC

Andrew Sturgeon has transferred to Blaydon CC

Jack Hardy has transferred to Marton CC

Paul Freary who played as a youngster at Feethams in the third team has re-joined the club as an adult

after several great seasons at Darlington RA and latterly Blaydon CC. His opening batsman skills will be a

boost for the first team.

New first team skipper, Matthew Brown will find himself as the 1st team spin bowler unless a late signing

happens. Doug Mulholland continue as professional and is joined by Liam Coates who makes 2015 his

first season as a professional. We wish all three the very best of luck this year.

James Sutton will be travelling to open the innings with Freary from his University Campus in Birmingham

during the first part of the season and James Dobson will travel from his home in Leeds each week.

The 2nd XI will be under the leadership of Danny Morgans who is taking over the reigns from James

Sutton. The absence from the club of at least ten players will provide ample opportunity for youngsters

to step up and show what they are capable of.

Alan Harwood will lead the 3rd team and may manage to play in the same team as his son Matty some-

time this season! Quite a few of last years under 15s and under 13s will have to make important

contributions to the senior sides in 2015.

The under 17s hopefully will manage better this year after failing to complete their fixtures in 2014 and

we shall be watching to see improvements in our junior sides at 15, 13 and 11 levels. The NYSD Premier

Champions flag will be flying proud this year as those who remain Darlington players give it their best

efforts on the field of play. Let all supporters once again get behind all our teams in 2015.

ALL CHANGE AT FEETHAMS FOR 2015

Shaughn Russell calls a day on his playing

career.

As tough as an ox and as committed to the club as one can be, Shaughn Russell has

decided to retire from playing.

He has played most of his cricket for the third team taking 241 wickets at an aver-

age of 17.28

He also has 78 second team wickets at 27.27

As a batsman he was a big hitting middle order player scoring 1299 runs for the thirds with a top score of

52 and an average of just over 14. He has just over 500 second team runs.

Everyone will wish Shaughn well and we are sure that he will continue to be seen around the place with

his lovely wife, Angela and their two young sons.

PAUL FREARY RETURNS TO

FEETHAMS

Paul Freary played 30 games for

Darlington third team as a young

15 year old. One of these innings

was a fantastic century at Preston

on a real tough track. He scored

670 runs in those 30 games.

He played for Darlington RACC and

was quickly admired by

connoisseurs of the opening

batting art around the league. He

trained a s a school teacher and

had many successful seasons

opening the batting for Blaydon in

the NEPL.

A new job and a new baby on the

way and Frears has decided to

return to the scene of his first

senior cricket games. He will play a

huge part in the 1st teams season

as opener. Having lost Rajin Salehs

runs as well as those of Ben

Wicling and Dan Hodgson, Paul will

hopefully continue his NEPL for in

the NYSD PL

Photo by Mark Fletcher

You may recall that last seasons final was postponed. We will be playing that at Whit-

burn on Sunday 17th May.

The 2015 competition gets under was shortly after that. We are drawn away to DDCL

Champions and NYSD hopefuls, Rockliffe Park CC. The park are looking to join the NYSD

league in the near future.

A victory will see us in the semi finals against either South Shields or Hetton Lyons

(away)

Thanks to Steve Gill for the information.

Liam Coates has been working hard behind the scenes to arrange a pre season friendly. We will be playing Mainsforth who will boast both Jonny Barnes and Lee Hutton in their ranks. Come along and help get the season off to a good start.

11th April! 1pm start ! 40 overs a side

DARTS PAIRS COMPETITION A RIP-ROARING SUCCESS!

DCC hosted their first Spring Pairs Darts Competition on Sunday afternoon. 26 players participat-ed in total and everyone, including some supporters, had a fun, action-packed day. Richard Sutton and Dobbo formed a formidable partnership and made it to the final after defeat-ing the father/son combo of Alan and Matthew Harwood. But they weren't quite good enough as the deadly duo of Johnny Barnes and Daniel Baldwin showed off their darting talents and took the victory with a 4-2 win in the final. Barnes was partic-ularly in fine form and hit a 180 to boot. Overall, it was a good weekend for DCC with bar takings on the up, I'm sure!

By James Sutton

TARAH FOR A BIT!....DAVE BENTLEY GETS SEND OFF AT CLUB

Our grounds man has retired and his replacement, Darren Gibson has begun work at Feethams.

A farewell party was given in Daves honour and Steward, Jon Barnes posted on the club Facebook site:

Thanks to everyone this evening who mucked in to make Dave Bentley's retirement do so enjoyable de-spite the best efforts of our till technology to sabotage the evening. Special thanks to Lucy P in the func-tion room who coped admirably with a really busy bar and also to John Davies, Gloria Howells, Karen Peacock, Wendy Duncan and all the other impromptu bar staff and glass washers. I've put the till in the skip......just underneath the league winners flag!

You can follow Darlington Cricket Club on Twitter

for news, events, cricket results and more...

@Dcc_Feethams

Thanks to james Sutton for this

If Facebook is your thing then the DCC CHOP-

PERS group is for you.

Again thanks to James Sutton for this.