WINSLEY skipper Kevin Hendy has got high hopes for youngsters Dan Call and Tom Walker as they get set for the new season.

The villagers finished seventh in the Wiltshire Division last term but have strengthened considerably over the summer, with Simon Norris, Mike Gunston, James Neale and Nick Gerrish all joining the Winsley ranks.

However, it is his two youngest charges that Hendy is most excited about ahead of their opener at home to Malmesbury on Saturday.

“Dan is a 15-year-old off-spinner and Tom is another youngster who is a batsman/bowler,” said Hendy.

“We’re delighted with how they have done in pre-season and they haven’t looked out of place in first-team cricket at all.

“We’re excited for them because I think they can make a big contribution for us this season.

“We’ve had a good pre-season. I scored 96 in the last warm-up game and it was good to get a knock like that under my belt. We are all feeling confident going into the season.

“We’ve added four new players to our squad who are all first-team quality. We are going into the season with a bigger squad, and a younger squad as well.

“We are all chomping at the bit to get going now.”

Hendy’s main objective for the season is simply to ensure they will at least be at the same level in 2016, although is keen to be challenging in the upper echelons of the table.

“Our main aspiration is to stay in the WEPL Pyramid,” added Hendy.

“With the restructuring they are doing we need to make sure we stay at this standard so we are able to play at the best possible level we can and also attract players in the future.

“Once the season is up and running and we are a few games in we will know more about what we are capable of.

“My aim is to finish in the top four and then maybe push on a bit higher from there if we can.”