Former Norfolk captain Carl Rogers has been in scintillating form for Great Witchingham recently and skipper Tom Collishaw admits that form is part of a 'dream start' to the season for the Witches.
Rogers has taken 14 wickets in his last three matches, including four in last weekend's impressive seven-wicket win at reigning East Anglian Premier League champions Swardeston.
That victory moved the Witches into second place in the EAPL table, although still 17 points behind leaders Swardeston, who are aiming for a third successive title.
Rogers has been rolling back the years amongst that success for the Witches. Figures of 4-46 from the 43-year-old off-spinner in the win at Swardeston followed on from 5-37 in a nine-wicket win at Vauxhall Mallards and 4-33 in the seven-wicket home win against Burwell.
Rogers – who captained Norfolk in 2009 and 2010 having made his debut back in 1990 – also found his form with the bat at The Common last Saturday when he scored 59, as an unbeaten 99 from James Spelman successfully led the chase of Swardeston's 209.
Skipper Collishaw said of Rogers' form: 'Carl's been bowling quite well, he's certainly doing quite a good job with the ball, but he hadn't done anything with the bat and then batted really well last week.
'He's always very reliable, always puts the ball in an area where a batsman has got to work hard to score regularly and often have to take a chance.'
The win at Swardeston was Witchingham's fourth win from six matches so far this season and Collishaw was pleased with the way his team performed.
'We were all very pleased,' he continued. 'We were wanting to go out and really give it a good go to try and beat Swardeston because they've won a lot of games over the last couple of seasons when winning the league.
'We wanted to try and set our stall out and show that Swardeston are beatable.'
Tomorrow the Witches host Bury St Edmunds at Walcis Park, who are second from bottom and yet to win this season.
Collishaw said his team will have to be aware of the threat posed by Bury openers Tom Huggins and Justin Bishop if they are to continue their good form, saying: 'Bury are much weaker than they used to be but they have two very handy players (Huggins and Bishop) who can win a game on their own on their day.
'In this league you always come up against someone who has a good day and if that happens you just have to accept that you were on the end of that and not won, but we'll certainly be in their faces and do everything we can to win it.'
Collishaw added: 'I'm really happy with the season so far compared to other seasons when we have made slow starts.
'It's been a bit of a dream start, so we hope to continue that.'
Have you got a cricket story? Contact reporter David Freezer on 01603 772418 or david.freezer@archant.co.uk
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