BARNSLEY Woolley Miners’ young side are hoping to confound those who have predicted they will be relegated this season.
The Shaw Laners had finished in the top five in three consecutive Yorkshire Premier South seasons but were in a relegation fight for much of the last campaign before eventually moving up to seventh due to a strong finish.
Boeta Beukes, who is from Mapplewell and has been with the club since he was 12, has been promoted from second team captain to the skipper of the first team. He replaces Liam Johnson who, along with last season’s captains at both Cawthorne and Elsecar, has joined Tickhill.
Also moving on were long-serving spin bowlers Ali Jahangir and Oliver Jackson, young batter Sheryaar Ali and fast bowler Adam Copley who took 56 wickets last season. Their top five wicket-takers from last season have all left.
But Barnsley have young talent such as Yorkshire CCC youngsters Owen Smith and Rizwan Ishfaq, while they have recruited South African all-rounder Sean Whitehead, United Arab Emirates international Jash Giyanani and off-spinner Joe Simpkin.
Beukes said: “We think we can finish in mid-table. People will have us in the relegation battle this year but hopefully we surprise a few and we can be up there beating bigger team teams who are spending a lot of money.
“Being so young comes with its pros and cons. We think we will have more energy and a better attitude which we’re focusing on. We want to be really well-prepared for every game as well.
“The cons are that we don’t have much experience but half of the team have played in the league for five or six years. It’s time for us to step up instead of following in older players’ footsteps.
“It’s always nice to have a good start but it’s a new squad which might take time to gel.
“Once we start winning, we always go on a run. We have some really talented players and we’re all looking forward to the season.”
On captaining in the ECB Premier League, Beukes said: “It’s a bit different and more challenging. You have to outsmart better players. It’s trying to work in what I have done well in the past with new ideas as well.”
All-rounder Whitehead, 28, had been playing first class cricket in his native South Africa until the season ended last week.
Giyanani, 21, played a One Day International game for UAE in 2023 and made other appearances for their ‘A’ team. The left-arm spin bowler and middle order batter is a student at Loughborough University and played in the Nottinghamshire Premier League last season.
Barnsley start their season at Shiregreen today.
