[T]ynefield Park will hold the Northern Premier League Readers Cup T20 finals Day on Sunday 16th July. The clubs involved are Netherfield from Kendal, Leyland and Blackpool from Lancashire, and the hosts Penrith who will start the day at 10am with the first semi against Leyland. The Blackpool v Netherfield semi will start at 2.30 with the final at 5pm.
Penrith’s young and inexperienced team have done very well to overcome a poor start in the competition when they were easily beaten by Barrow in the first round. Since then their season has turned round, and skipper Jonathan Osborne thinks they could go all the way: “We had a very rocky start to the season, with a very young side, but these wins have given us a tremendous boost, and we are gaining experience and confidence with every game. the semi against Leyland will be very tough, but we’ve got a winning run going and I know we can do it. I’m really proud of the way the young players have come on in leaps and bounds. It has affected the league games too, there’s a really good feeling in the team now.”
The club’s league form has improved dramatically, with four wins in a row, but as Chairman Andy Hall says, they are not out of danger yet: “We knew it was going to be hard this season, we have lost too many experienced players over the last two years, but I am immensely proud of the way the new skipper and the players have responded.
“We could not have dreamed of getting this far at the start of the competition, but here we are with a real chance of success. As far as the league is concerned, we still have to improve and win against better sides; but the mood is good, and the threat of relegation can now be beaten off.”
He is also delighted that young players from the club are gaining representative honours, Liam Trevaskis, now at Durham Academy, is selected for the England U19 One Day squad, and Brodie Glendinning has been selected for the u-15 North of England squad for the Banbury festival. Brodie has just broken into the club’s first team, and took the vital wicket to win the game against Preston last Saturday.
