Uddingston Cricket Club skipper Bryan Clarke has high ambitions for new season

Uddy managed third place in last year’s final Western District Cricket Union Premier Division standings and Clarke reckons they are set for another strong campaign after adding some talented new players this spring.

“We are relatively strong so we are really keen to kick on a wee bit this season,” experienced wicket keeper Bryan (39) told the Times and Speaker.

“After finishing third last year we are keen to be similarly successful this time around.

“We want to compete well and challenge properly this year.

“We have flattered to deceive a bit as well in recent times so want to sort that out.”

Bryan and his Uddingston colleagues will warm up for the new league season in two fixtures this weekend.

First of all, Saturday will see the Villagers squad mixed into two teams to contest an Inter District match, in a bid to assess what could be their strongest starting 11 for when the serious stuff starts.

On Sunday, Uddingston will then play a friendly fixture at Arbroath, 12 noon start.

This double bill forms a major part of Uddingston’s preparations for the new league season, which will begin with a home game against Drumpellier on Saturday, April 27, 12 noon start.

Bryan, who incredibly is about to start his 25th campaign as an Uddingston player, has not yet entertained thoughts of packing in the sport he has graced as part of the Uddingston set-up for a quarter of a century.

He added: “I will go on until somebody tells me to stop!”

The full list of fixtures for the opening round of Western District Cricket Union Premier Division matches a week on Saturday is: Clydesdale v Ferguslie, Greenock v East Kilbride, McCrea FS West of Scotland v Poloc, Prestwick v Stirling County, TUNNOCKS UDDINGSTON v Drumpellier.