Burwell & Exning no longer an unknown quantity in Onyx League Division One

Burwell & Exning will head into the new 2025 Onyx League Division One season having shed their ‘new team factor’.

After achieving back-to-back promotions in 2022 and 2023, skipper Paul Summerskill set his side the target of surviving at a higher level in 2024.

However, they did much more than that, eventually finishing in fifth place with 11 victories from their 22 outings.

But this time around Summerskill is well aware that his team will no longer be an unknown quantity.

“Considering that we were new to the level we had a really good season,” said the captain, who finished fifth in the Division One run-scoring charts and took more dismissals than any other wicket-keeper last year.

“The main target was just to stay up so the fact that we did more than that, it was a great effort from everyone.

“We got on a roll early on. Those wins gave us some momentum and it showed we belonged at the level. We dipped a bit in the middle but then we finished unbeaten in the last 10 or 11 weeks.

“This year we’ll be looking for more of the same – firstly making sure that we stay in Division One.

“Our new team factor has gone and players at our level will work you out, so we’ve got to find a way to work through that. I think the league is going to be even stronger this year so somewhere around mid-table would be nice.”

In terms of squad changes, it has been a relatively quiet winter for Burwell & Exning.

Manish Burman has left the club due to a work relocation, while Tom Mangelsen has arrived as this year’s overseas player.

On the make-up of his squad, Summerskill added: “It’s definitely a good sign that we’ve not had to be too busy. We didn’t want to have a massive turnover of players and we’re not a club that goes out and tries to recruit too much.

“We want people that want to play for the club and that’s what we’ve got. It’s a great changing room and the club is in a really good place.”

Burwell & Exning will have home advantage during Saturday’s (19 April) season opener when they welcome Blunham to Exning Park.