Alex: It could be a big year for club

CLEETHORPES cricket ace Alex Osmond believes that next season could be a "big year" for the club.

The leg-spinner picked up two Yorkshire League awards in the last campaign, the first non-overseas Clee player to do so.

He picked up "gongs" for the best bowling average and best all-rounder.

And he believes that there could be more success for the Meggies next year.

Osmond, 23, said: "It was a good end to the season personally. Winning two awards was sort of a reward for a good season.

"Overall, it was our best finish since 2004, and we had nine local players in the team."

He went on: "Hopefully the team should be a year older and a year wiser now. It could be a big year."

Osmond, who has secured a trial with Northamptonshire, has been at the club since he was nine years old.

He plays alongside older brother James, who is captain of the first XI, although Alex himself is vice-captain.

However, there isn't much rivalry between the two.

Alex said: "James is an excellent player and an excellent leader. He's a good thinker and a good tactician.

"It's good to have that sort of player in a side – he's only 24 but a lot of people look up to him."

His best bowling figures in the Yorkshire League is six for 46, which he has achieved three times, twice last season and once in 2005.

Batting wise, his Yorkshire best is 82 not out, although he has made 215 not out in a Junior Cup game before.

His idols are Anil Kumble and Shane Warne and he reserved special praise for former Australia spinner Warne: "He's a massive icon. He enhanced the world of leg-spin himself really."

However, it was actually a batsman who first got him interested in the sport.

"The first thing I ever remember about cricket was Brian Lara scoring his 375 against England, which was quite a big influence," he said.

"When you see something like that on TV you want to emulate it."

The bowler is hopeful of a shot in first-class cricket, but still enjoys his coaching role at Cleethorpes.

"If I don't succeed myself, then I hope to help other people succeed," he said.

"I want to encourage them to be as good as they can be."