New captain Amin Rafiq is excited about the challenge of leading Horspath as the club return to the Home Counties Premier Cricket League this season.
The all-rounder was at the helm for the first time on Saturday, as last year’s Cherwell League champions visited Bicester & North Oxford in Division 2.
Having succeeded Will Eason, who remains as director of cricket, Rafiq said: “It is obviously a privilege and honour. I am very grateful for the opportunity.
“I think it has come about quite naturally. I have never been one who has been looking for a leadership position or captaincy.
“It has happened quite organically, which is nice. I am really excited about the opportunity and the season ahead. The guys are raring to go for Saturday.”
Amin is no stranger to captaincy, having led Horspath to T20 success in Oxfordshire’s Hartwell Cup and the Cherwell’s Pullinger Cup last season as well as taking the reins in the Oxfordshire final triumph in the Voneus Village Cup.
“Having done the T20 for the last couple of years it feels like a natural transition,” he adds. “I think with having leadership positions in my work and businesses of construction and property supplies it is also one of these things that suits personally.
“It has gone well in the past, but I am under no illusions about the challenges that lie ahead.”
Jamaican international all-rounder Derval Green’s arrival has been delayed due to a hold-up with his visa application.
But Rafiq will lead a squad boosted by the addition of Wargrave all-rounder Sravan Konidena, Henley all-rounder Liam Turnbull and Eversley batsman Tom Nichols.
“It is a tough league with some good teams in it, so we are looking forward to getting stuck in and competing at a high level and showing what we are about,” says the captain.
“We obviously have a lot of experienced players that have been there. The core nucleus is there and we have added some good players which is exciting.”
After Home Counties relegation in 2023, Horspath dominated the Cherwell League last season to bounce back at the first attempt in a season of great poignancy following the loss of club stalwart Max Eason and popular scorer Tommy Pritchard.
Rafiq says: “We definitely take confidence from the season we had last year. It was unbelievable and to do it with the losses we had at the club. It was an honour that we did it in memory of Max and Tommy. It meant a lot to everyone at the club. We want to build on that and use the momentum to push on.”
But he’s remaining grounded for the new season, adding: “I think the aims are more medium term in the sense I would like to say that in the next two or three seasons this Horspath side will compete in the top division of the Premier League. That is the ultimate goal.
“This season we want to be competitive and finish as high in the table as possible. Our immediate goal is to win games of cricket, be competitive and take it week by week.”
