Dove relishing captaincy and good times at Leigh

May 30 2008 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

Dove relishing captaincy and good times at Leigh

LEIGH’S rise to the top of the First Division of Business Assistance Liverpool Competition has been masterminded by a captain who admits he “didn’t know anything” about playing in Merseyside cricket’s second tier before the season began.

Former skipper Dave Dove had spent three years playing for Slaithwaite in the Huddersfield League before deciding to return to Beech Walk in the close season and, despite the club’s relegation from the Competition’s elite last September, the 42-year-old middle-order batsman didn’t need much persuading to take on the job.

“I regard Leigh as my club and I kept a close eye on its fortunes when I was playing in Yorkshire,” he said. “Captaincy’s always followed me about and everything fell into place when I was asked to come back.”

Two defeats in the first three games emphasised the size of the task confronting the former skipper but Leigh now go into tomorrow’s match at bottom-placed Huyton twelve points clear of second-placed Northop Hall and surfing on the confidence engendered by six successive victories.

“The early season matches were a bit of a test for us,” accepted Dove, “but you can’t just say to cricketers ‘let’s play with confidence.’ They have to build up their own self-belief and that’s what a couple of victories can do. Winning’s become a habit for us and it’s made a huge difference.”

One or two changes in personnel don’t harm either. Dove has been joined by the experienced Andy Batterley and Steve Bailey in making a return to Beech Walk and the captain was also instrumental in the signing of the Pakistani profesional Jaffar Nazir.

“We had no hesitation in signing Jaffar when we got the opportunity,” said Dove. “He played for East Bierley in the Bradford League and his record in Yorkshire plus his first-class performances made him just the cricketer we needed. He’s got this ability to wrap up the tail and turn winning situations into real victories.”

“Effectively we’ve got four new players this season and that means we can introduce the younger players to first team cricket at the right time.

“My aspirations as regards a final league position were a little unclear at the start of the season,” he said.

“We’re going to have to sit down and think about where we might end up. It can be demoralising to get into the Premiership if you haven’t got the resources to stay there.”

Dove’s fear of what may come to be known as the Derby County syndrome is probably wise, but if the excellent facilities at Leigh and the success of the club’s junior coaching programme is any guide, the good times are already on the way back to Beech Walk.