Getting off to a strong start was a key aim for Great Witchingham this season – so captain Tom Collishaw is pleased to see his team have risen to the challenge.

The Witches sit third in the East Anglian Premier League standings, with a game in hand on the top two, after three wins in the first four games.

'We're happy with the start, we've got three wins in which is good because the last two seasons we've made a slow start and were not getting the wins until the second half of the season,' Collishaw said.

'So to get three wins in early is good and can only be a positive.'

Last season the Witches drew nine and lost two of their opening 11 EAPL matches but a 97-run win at Clacton in July was the first of seven wins in their final 10 matches.

Collishaw continued: 'We talked about it in winter nets and we tried to do things slightly differently to try and get a little more intensity into us so that when we start the season we aren't just going through the motions.

'So we went on a bit of a pre-season tour and played some friendlies. We went on tour to Nottingham and played my old club Kimberley and Ivanhoe, (former Norfolk professional) Trevor Ward's old club.'

Witchingham won by nine wickets against Norfolk rivals Vauxhall Mallards last Saturday.

After bowling Mallards out for 222 at their new Halvergate home, the Witches batsman steadily worked their way to 225 in 53 overs for the loss of just one wicket, with Sam Arthurton 101 not out and James Hale 65 not out.

That was Witchingham's third win so far this season, collecting 25 league points, as they look to build on a fifth-place finish in the EAPL last season.

Tomorrow they host Suffolk side Woolpit, who are sixth in the table after having no game last Saturday.

Collishaw continued: 'We've got to attempt to win every game, to play aggressively and look to keep it tight, then use our overseas player and Kieran Bunting as strike bowler.

'Brenton McDonald is our overseas this year. He's an Australian leg-spinner, he's got very good variation, he's a tricky player to pick out. As the season goes on, he'll come into his own as the wickets get drier.'

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