Bleachgreen men sign up trio ahead of 2016 season

Ardmore have set their stall out to try to avoid any issues at the wrong end of the Premiership table in 2016 as the Bleachgreen side has unveiled three new signings who will join the squad for the forthcoming campaign.
Wicket-keeper batsman Kevin Martin has re-joined Ardmore after deciding to leave Donegal side St Johnston.Wicket-keeper batsman Kevin Martin has re-joined Ardmore after deciding to leave Donegal side St Johnston.
Wicket-keeper batsman Kevin Martin has re-joined Ardmore after deciding to leave Donegal side St Johnston.

South African, Marlo Jardine, comes in as the overseas player - the 24 year-old having plied his trade for a short time in Scotland during the season just past.

A native of Free State region he is a top order batsman and off-spin bowler who also holds an equivalent UKCC Level 2 coaching badge.

A spokesman for Ardmore said that “Marlo comes highly recommended by several shrewd judges in South Africa and we’d like to thank Gary Hunt of Cric-Intro for his help in securing Marlo for the 2016 season.

“While the club will be hoping and expecting him to perform well on the field we also hope that with his experience in coaching he will be able to add to our off-field commitments in local schools and at the club.

“We now have teams competing at u-11, u-13 and u-15 and Marlo will act as head coach for these teams while also overseeing our schools programme.

“He will also be tasked with assisting the development of other players as they hopefully move toward first team cricket

“Alongside this, plans are already in place for regular club-based coaching during the summer months leading into a summer coaching camp open to children of all ages and abilities.

“There are also plans to start a women’s/girls team. Putting structures in place to set up and support these events and teams will form a big part of our plans going forward.”

The Bleachgreen men welcome back Kevin Martin to the club and they have also added pace bowler Stephen Dunn.

The ex-Donemana and Coleraine man joins Ardmore from NCU kingpins CIYMS and he will be a good addition to their bowling attack.

“With these commitments in mind the club are also delighted to welcome Kevin Martin back to the Bleachgreen.

“Kevin needs no introduction to followers of Ardmore or North West cricket, a proven opening bat and wicket-keeper Kevin comes in to strengthen our top order, an issue that was identified in both the 2014 and 2015 seasons.

“While he had a difficult 2015 season by his own admission, Kevin has been a regular run-scorer and reliable keeper throughout his career. He too is a qualified and experienced coach and will be working with the first team squad and several of our promising young players as we look to hopefully challenge for honours in 2016 and beyond.

“The third player coming in is bowler Stephen Dunn who has joined from CIYMS.

Stephen is another player who needs little introduction and he will add real potency to our attack.

“We have no doubt that he will be a real threat with the new ball and the players are delighted to be welcoming Stephen, and indeed the other two to Ardmore.

“Aggie Riddles and Forster Mutizwa have both left the Bleachgreen - the two of them performed exceptionally for Ardmore in the past couple of seasons and we’d like to offer our sincere thanks and good luck to both for 2016 and beyond.

“The new field continues to take shape and it is hoped that it will be available as a practice facility from the start of the season, taking pressure of the main ground.

“Other work continues apace at the club and further plans prior to the season include extension of the sightscreens and additional covers.”

The club are also planning for the release of a ‘History of Ardmore CC’ book written by Billy Platt and they hope to be able to hold events around its launch in early July.

Related topics: