Harpenden Dolphins looking for more success to light up anniversary season
Harpenden Dolphins Cricket Club celebrate their promotion in 2018. - Credit: Archant
The 75th anniversary season at Harpenden Dolphins promises to be a memorable one for plenty of reasons.
For a start it sees the club playing in the heady heights of Division Eight A of the Saracens Herts Cricket League after their most successful season to date last time out finished with a record points tally and promotion.
Captain Paul Bonney and vice-skipper Ollie Lacey were at the helm then and will be again for the much-anticipated 2019 season.
And both feel there could be more joy this year.
Bonney said: “I hope the club will give a good account of itself in the higher league and I believe that we can win more than we lose.”
Agreeing Lacey also pointed out that any defeats wouldn’t be the end of the world, saying “the social aspects of cricket are equally important to the Dolphins and the post-match moments usually help ease any pain felt from a bad day at the office”.
The pair will be able to choose for the same relatively youthful squad that saw them through last summer.
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The bowling department remains intact with evergreen Ron Giovanni, the winner of the 2018 Saracens Division Nine A Bowler of the Year award, likely to remain a threat.
But he will be supported by the various talents and speeds of Lacey, Adam Driscoll, father and son Tom and Adam Roche and the surprise package from 2018, Ant Rayner.
With the willow, the club will be looking to another father and son pairing, Duncan and Ben Lewis, to play leading roles.
Lacey said: “If Jonathan Lacey, Billy Giovanni and Mark Godfrey-Evans can continue their form with the bat, then we hope to be set fair.”
The 2018 season also saw occasional cameos from the likes of Andy Geake and George Finch and club president Graham Downes hopes they can provide support to the top order.
He said: “Everyone has their day. It’s just that for some of us those days only come along every few years.
“Of course, a few senior professionals remain on standby to assist when called upon, although this significantly pushes up the average age of the slip cordon.”
Whatever happens, the season will end with one big party to celebrate another key milestone in their history.
