ROYSTON Cricket Club face a bizarre set of fixtures as they adjust to life at Therfield. Their first team play their opening NINE Cambridgeshire & Huntingdonshire League Division Two away from home before staging their first game at their new venue on Jun

ROYSTON Cricket Club face a bizarre set of fixtures as they adjust to life at Therfield. Their first team play their opening NINE Cambridgeshire & Huntingdonshire League Division Two away from home before staging their first game at their new venue on June 24, when Waresley are the visitors. That is the first of 10 successive home games - before they round off the season with a trip to Waresley on September 9. They open their campaign on April 22 with a trip to Godmanchester Town II before visiting Bluntisham the following week. Meanwhile, Royston's second team start the season with seven straight home games, beginning with Romsey Town on May 6, before they travel to Bassingbourn on July 24. The club's senior nets begin at Royston Leisure Centre on Wednesday, from 8-9pm, and run for three weeks before the season starts. Following relegation from the Cambs and Hunts Premier League Division One, Royston's first team will be hoping for a season of consolidation. However, they have lost opening bowler Charlie Walker-Smith, who has moved to Histon as he wants to continue to play division one cricket, while it is uncertain whether fellow opening bowler Gavin Wright's fragile frame will survive another season. In addition, all-rounder John Welch has taken up a coaching role in the Caribbean, and work commitments may affect the availability of other first team players. The second team will also be missing key players after the retirement of batsman Ken Graham and bowler Alan Hootton. Royston remain hopeful that some players from their hosts Therfield and Kelshall, who play in a Sunday league, will fill some of the gaps, and it is likely the second team will have a youthful look, with several of the under-16 team likely to be in regular action. Anyone interested in playing for Royston should contact Richard Temple on 01763 247880 for the senior teams, or Mike Leary on 01462 742115 for the colts.