Ambitious Cuckney aiming to go one better this summer

Cuckney, who finished a very close second to Cavaliers & Carrington last summer, immediately face Kimberley Institute at home, who were third last season, and Ullyott said: “Hopefully we can now go that one place further than we did last year.

“Everything is very positive and we've had a good winter.

“Obviously the last few weeks have not been great with the weather and we have had quite a few pre-season friendlies called off due to the rain. We only ended up playing one.”

Cuckney have been busy on the recruitment front and have added Aussie bowler Bailey Richards.

“We have made a few additions over the winter and they have fitted in quite nicely as well as retaining the vast majority of last summer's squad which will help with our second team in NPL Two,” said Ullyott.

“We have brought in Adam Tillcock from Cavaliers & Carrington, both the Lawrence brothers from Gedling & Sherwood, we have signed Tom Rowe from Kimberley, Joe Worrall from Farnsfield and our overseas player is an Aussie this year in Bailey Richards from Perth.

“Is is a fast medium bowler who bats a bit too.

“We signed him after a couple of recommendations. He has been really engaged with the team on WhatsApp and arrives this week.

“We are looking forward to meeting him and getting cracking. We feel confident he will do a very good job for us.”

He added: “I don't think we will need to operate a great deal different to how we did last year. I was delighted with us.

“Finishing second was disappointing at the end of the day, but given where we were with the squad, being a very young team, I think we over-achieved in my opinion. “One year older with a bit more experience and some nice additions, hopefully we will kick on though it will take them a bit of time to gel and get used to the way we play.

“We just need to show a bit more application and maybe come out on the right side of one or two results that didn't quite go our way. It always helps to have a bit of luck too.

“Hopefully we will then be there or thereabouts.

“We have Kimberley at home, second v third from last season, then Cavs in week two, first v second from last season, so it looks a tough start.”

New boy Tillcock has an excellent pedigree.

After his release from the Notts Academy in 2015, Tillcock joined the West Indian Cavaliers in the Notts Premier League for three seasons and switched to Kimberley Institute CC for 2019.

From 2016 to 2019, Tillcock represented Lincolnshire CCC, helping them to three successive Minor Counties Eastern Division titles, playing in 16 championship games and scoring 987 runs @47.00 and taking 54 wickets @30.79.

He also appeared in 11 Minor Counties Trophy games and for the Second Teams of Kent, Leicestershire and Northamptonshire.