2025 PREVIEWS: New Birkenhead Park skipper hopes to bring red-hot cup form into league campaign

For those of us brave enough to put our predictions in writing ahead of last season, there was pretty much one constant: Birkenhead Park would surprise a few people.

Newly promoted to the Premier Division but with a fire in their belly and a top-quality pro in Sri Lankan Test spinner Malinda Pushpakumara, Park were tipped to make waves.

They showed their quality in winning the ECHO Cup, defeating hosts Formby then Rainford on a scorching finals day. 

But in the league, things were not so hot. Pushpakumara’s arrival was delayed, and the other marquee signing, Andrew Clarke, struggled for fitness.

Both eventually got up and running, but it took a Mark Rowland century, a Pushpakumara five-for and a late Wallasey collapse to get Park the win they needed to stay up on the final day.

Now skipper Alex Harris, who takes over from Ste Hird, wants to help his side find their cup form in the league.

He said: “We’ve always done well in the cups over the last couple of years, getting to a few finals days. 

“It was great for the club to get over the line and win a trophy. 

“But in terms of the league, I’m not sure if it’s consistency or belief with some of the lads that they can play at this level. 

“They maybe don’t feel like they belong and struggle to put in performances week after week, and in this league you won’t win many games that way. 

“It’s about being able to do it on a weekly basis, especially against the top sides.

“Hopefully our success in the cup will help a few of the lads think ‘I can do it now, I do belong at this level’.”

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Pushpakumara’s overseas slot has been taken by the popular Pakistani slow left-armer Safi Abdullah, back for a third stint with the club after spending last season at Newton-le-Willows.

“We started off without a pro and got in a bit of a rut, and when you’re losing matches it’s hard to break that cycle,” Harris said.

“Malinda did really well but he’s a different type of signing to Safi. 

“He’d more come over for a bit of a holiday, towards the end of his career – he did great on the pitch but he wasn’t someone who got too involved in club life.”

Experienced seamer Chris Stenhouse also returns to the club he used to lead, having played at Oxton since 2018.

Harris added: “He and Safi are both really high-quality players and they’re really experienced at this level. 

“So we know what’s coming and we can pretty much bank on what they can offer.

“We feel like we’re building a team with a lot of experience at this level. 

“Our bowling was good anyway last year, but availability was a bit of an issue.”

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And with Clarke back to full fitness, his skipper can’t wait to see what he brings to the top order, having shown glimpses last year.

He said: “Last year was difficult for Clarkey because when he came, he wasn’t fully fit and was waiting for an operation – it happened sooner than we thought it would. 

“But he is fully fit now, and we know how good he is. 

“We’re excited to see a full season out of him – we just have to stay at the crease while he’s there.” 

A big-hitting all-rounder who made 72 from 55 balls in the ECHO Cup triumph, Harris is excited to lead his home town club, and is keen to do so on the front foot.

“Obviously we love playing in this league, but it’s very tough,” he said.

“I think this year we’ll be a closer-knit squad and I’m hoping the experience and know-how at this level will help us a lot.”

from Merseyside Cricket Online https://ift.tt/KRAP6gq