Heytesbury Princetown Storm bowler Jake Robbins is relishing life as a member of the newly-merged South West Cricket club.
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The Storm - the result of Heytesbury Rebels and Princetown joining forces before the 2023-24 season - are undefeated atop the division one ladder with five wins from as many games.
Robbins, 24, was previously a Princetown player and is thrilled with how everything has panned out.
"We keep winning so that's all you can really ask for," he told The Standard.
"Lots of wins. The vibes are really good, the two clubs are really meshing well together. It doesn't feel like, from the Princetown side anyway, that we've gone to a new club. It just feels like we sort of made a new club I suppose."
Robbins has opened the bowling with Chris Vogels every division one match so far but has been a bit unlucky in terms of wickets, with only four at this stage.
"The ball's been coming out well and I probably haven't got the reward in the wickets column that I feel like I should have but I've been keeping it tight and probably setting up the other blokes to take a lot of wickets," he said.
The paceman has "enjoyed the challenge" of stepping into to the the top grade as Princetown only fielded division two and three sides.
He was regularly among division two's leading wicket-takers and topped the competition with 28 in 2017-18 and 2019-20.
"I've found it, not easy, but quite comfortable," he said of playing division one.
"It probably helps I'm coming into an established team and it's not so much pressure on me. I've enjoyed the challenge."
Robbins, who drives tractors and works on his family's dairy farm, is eyeing a fairytale premiership with the Storm in their first season.
"It would be unreal," he said.
"Team success above everything."
Matt Hughes
Matt is a sports journalist at The Standard.
Matt is a sports journalist at The Standard.
