Experienced trio will pad up for Cound

Craig Heath, Alex Johnson and Ed Davies have all agreed to join the club’s squad to play alongside their former team-mate Joe Yapp who is Cound’s 1st XI skipper.

It marks a return to the club for both Heath and Johnson who both started their careers in the Shropshire League with Cound.

Yapp said: “I’m absolutely delighted, this has been a work in progress for two years!

“There’s nothing better than playing cricket with your mates, and I’ve been close friends with Craig, Alex and Ed for a long time.

“Craig and Alex are both coming back to where they started their Shropshire cricket journeys on the road to lots of success. And I’ve known Ed has been magnificent playing cricket with me for Grasshoppers.

“All three will add serious talent and experience to our young team. They also all have young families and we look forward to welcoming them all to the CCG this Summer.”

Big hitting batter Heath has spent the last two years playing for Wem in the Birmingham League after a number of successful seasons with Sentinel including helping them to the Shropshire League title.

Johnson came through the junior ranks at Cound and made his mark in the 1st team taking more than 150 wickets before moving on to first Shrewsbury and then Sentinel where he was also part of their title winning side with Heath and Yapp.

He did play a game on loan for Cound’s 2nd XI last season which saw him score his first ever century in league cricket.

Davies is a former Wroxeter and Sentinel player who has appeared alongside Yapp, Heath and Johnson for many years for the successful Grasshoppers side in both Evening and Indoor Leagues – including an appearance at Lord’s in the national Indoor Finals.

They join two other Winter recruits to the Cound ranks in Jason Brookes has moved from Frankton and Charlie Reece who has switched from Wellington.

The club’s pre-season nets start on February 23 at Shrewsbury School’s Indoor Centre from 9-10pm. If anyone is interested in joining the club they can contact Secretary Craig Kinsey via kinnerandco@aol.com