HALESOWEN Cricket Club have named Faisal Shahid as their new skipper for next season replacing Wes Griffiths following his three-year spell in charge at Seth Somers Park writes NICK PULLEN

Shahid started his cricketing career at Halesowen before progressing onto the MCC ground staff.

He returned to the area last season playing for Smethwick in Birmingham League Division One and Griffiths, who will operate as his vice captain, claimed: “Faz wanted a new challenge and captaining his former club fitted the bill.”

David Banks continues as club coach, while Halesowen have strengthened their staff further by bringing in experienced Andy Mackleworth to assist the head coach, captain and cricket manager Andrew Windsor.

Mackleworth will be accompanied by his son Charlie, who has broken into Worcestershire’s Under-17 side as wicketkeeper – the pair having previously been involved with Himley.

Griffiths added: “We didn’t perform well enough as a group last season. I took over when we were relegated from Birmingham League Division One and we’ve spent the past three seasons in Division Two and don’t want to stay there too much longer.”

BOXING: Jason Welborn attempts to wrestle the Midlands Area Light Middleweight belt from Terry Carruthers tonight (Thursday) at Birmingham’s Holiday Inn.

The contest also doubles up as a British Eliminator.

Halesowen’s exciting super middleweight prospect Lennox Clarke, who is a stablemate of Welborn’s, also appears on the card when he faces Joy Meikle.