THE vice-captain of Woolhope Cricket Club, Max Foster, believes they have what it takes to compete in GB Liners Marches League Division One next season should they get promoted.

Foster was standing in as captain last weekend for club skipper Andrew Williams who was not available for their clash with fellow promotion hopefuls Almeley.

Foster believes that survival should not be the only aim if they were to secure promotion.

He said: “Everyone’s got it in the back of their minds that we’ve got the team to get promoted this season, I think we’re a Division One team anyway.

“If we end up staying in Division One next season so be it, but I think we can definitely start to look towards pushing for promotion to the Worcester League – but that’s the long term view.”

He also said the aim at the start of the season was not promotion.

He said: “Promotion wasn’t exactly the aim at the start of the season and we knew we had a strong team and as it’s panned out we really do feel we can push for promotion.

“I think we are doing really well to be honest, I think we’ve started really well and I think we can be pushing promotion as well.”

Last season saw Woolhope relegated from Division One and Foster points to a lack of consistency in the team as the main reason.

He said: “I think last season we really struggled to get a consistent team and I think that’s really where we’ve done better this year – we’ve been able to put out a pretty similar team week in, week out.

He added that there is a better feeling around the club this season and that the club captain Andrew Williams and club secretary Huw Owens had to take the credit for that.

He said: “Last season there wasn’t that feeling and I think Andy and Huw have done a terrific job and they have just bought everyone together.”

Batsmen Andrew Tanner was not available last weekend but he and Chris Parks are two of the division’s top scorers and Foster could not be happier with their contribution.

He said: “We’re hugely pleased with the form of Chris Park and Andrew Tanner.

“Chris has been in the runs of late having scored 48 against Shireballs last week and Tanner has come up from the seconds where he was scoring a huge amount of runs and done well.”

Bowler Richard Watts has taken 22 wickets so far this season which is more than anyone else in the division.

Foster said: “Richard’s bowling extremely well for us, hopefully he can push for that top bowler prize at the end of the season.

This is Watts first season for the club having joined from Hereford City Sports CC who he played for prior to breaking his leg.

He joined up with the club to play with his son Chris who’s been playing for them for a few years now.

Foster is pretty pleased with his own form having scored 173 runs this season at an average of just over 43.

He said: “I think I’m doing pretty well, I got 95 not out against Presteigne a couple weeks ago, so hopefully I can continue that.”