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| Lloyd Belcher is new skipper Pictures: www.sportsshots.org.uk |
But being a regular fixture in the side since he was just 14, he feels he has already gained plenty of experience and is keen to take charge of what is set to be a youthful line-up.
He said: "It is a great opportunity, and I feel I can do it. I have captained age group and county stuff and have always been quite loud on the pitch, but I feel I have come into myself now. I feel like it's the right time to take on some sort of leadership role. I am one of the more experienced players in the team - believe it or not!
"I am 21 now and have been in the team every year for six years. The team has changed a lot in those six years, more so over the last couple of years with younger faces and a lot of new people that have come in.
"With the team I am taking on I feel we are going in a younger and more athletic direction with younger players coming in, new people coming in and the average age coming down. I am excited to take on this team."
Lloyd was Home Counties Division 1's leading wicket-taker last season with 41 victims, but despite his heroics it wasn't enough to save Horspath from relegation. After being elected as captain, he had been hoping to see his side bounce straight back, but those hopes were dashed by the outbreak of Covid-19 in the UK in March.
With the Home Counties announcing a revamped programme yesterday with the two divisions being amalgamated for the resumption on July 18 it means there will be no promotion and relegation this season.
Following an inter-club match at the Recreation Ground tomorrow, Lloyd will lead the side for the first time in competitive action at home to Banbury on Saturday week when his focus will be on building a side that can challenge for Division 2 honours in 2021.
He said: "In my eyes I thought my main goal would be to win this league to get straight back up and was hoping to be playing Division 1 cricket again next year, but with everything that has happened that's not the case. I feel like this is going to be a great year to establish where people are with their levels of cricket and skill sets and the balance of the team.
"I want people to express themselves and play their natural game and enjoy themselves. I want us to work to plans, and if we have to change plans on the fly then we should be able to adapt and overcome situations. As soon as people express themselves they tend to perform better."
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| Will Eason takes on director of cricket role |
"I think that felt like a big achievement to stay in Division 1, but at the time there wasn't anyone to take over from me. Now the time is definitely right and also with the way Lloyd has been on the pitch in the last year or two. He has been very vocal in his own ideas and what we should do with fielding positions. He certainly knows how to look at the game, so it just seemed like the right time for him to take over.
"It is a great year from my perspective for him to take over. He has the freedom to do what he likes with the side. There is no pressure on him or the players coming in. We are looking at the way we will be going into 2021. With an eye on that we will look at a lot of players and maybe some of the younger ones and see whether they will be ready for it. It may have been a terrible four or five months for everyone, but it's a perfect time for him to take over."
One player who won't be involved is overseas signing Anupam Sanklecha, who will remain in India due to the pandemic. However, Horspath have been busy recruiting with Harrison Ward back at the club after a spell with Preston Nomads in the Sussex League.
Like Lloyd, Harrison, now 20, was a precocious teenage talent, becoming the youngest player to hit a Minor Counties Championship century for Oxfordshire with an unbeaten 109 on his debut against Herefordshire at Brockhampton in 2015 aged just 15 years and 269 days.
The new captain added: "Harrison has come back in which is perfect for me. He will be my right-hand man. We played age group cricket together for ten years and on the pitch we have always been talking to each other. I feel he will help me out quite a lot and help us move forward as a group."
Indian batsman Dwadesh Sehgal, a product of the West Delhi Academy and a member of the Oxford MCCU squad, has also joined along with Zimbabwean batsman Pete Ades, a St Edward's School pupil.
Left-arm seamer Graham Beer returns for a third spell after spending the last two seasons at Banbury, while seamer Max Smith has joined from Tiddington. Going in the other direction are all-rounder Tom Cosford, who has moved to Oxford Downs, and Liam Manley, who has rejoined Banbury.
Posted by: Russ