IT'S TIME FOR DEREK AT SEA COP

Date: 4th November 2014

A Paul Edwards copyright exclusive for L&DCC Official Website.

Sykes takes charge in 2015

After serving as vice-captain to four colleagues while insisting that he would never take the job himself, Derek Sykes finally bowed to what was becoming almost inevitable recently when he agreed to skipper Fleetwood Hesketh for the 2015 season.

The Marshside loyalist takes over from Lee Rimmer, who stepped down after the club was relegated from the ECB Premier League in September.

“Quite a few people approached me about the job and the senior players wanted me to take it on,” said Sykes, who was officially appointed at the club’s AGM. “There was a need for a bit of stability and I suppose I fitted the bill.

“Yes, it was something I said I’d never do partly because I have a management role at work and I saw Saturday as my day off, but I eventually decided that I should do it and became keen to take it on. It’s come at the right time for me.”

However, people expecting an influx of new players at Sea Cop are probably in for something of a surprise. Sykes has identified a young overseas batsman he might like to sign and is also keen to add a spinner, but that’s about as far as his changes to the club’s playing complement goes after the very active policy pursued by his predecessor.

“Lee had a hard time last summer but he did really well to recruit players,” said Sykes. “I just hope his efforts will bear fruit for the club next summer.

“Certainly I don’t want to change a great deal. I just want to keep hold of the players that we’ve got and keep our squad together.

“We’ve struggled for runs, so I’d like to get a young overseas batting professional but if we do that it means that we’ve got to go for a spinner.

“I believe that our overseas player should be recruited by a committee rather than the captain alone and we have someone half in mind. As for the spinner, we’ve a good idea of what we’re looking for and names have been mentioned.”