Boeta Beukes leads out the first team for the first time in the South Yorkshire Premier League away at Shiregreen. The 24 year old has been at the club for half his life and has progressed through the clubs four senior teams and started the 2024 campaign as second team captain. That experience and finishing the season as a first team regular made the decision to ask him to skipper the side, an easy one. He’ll take the reins with four debutants for the Shaw Lane outfit.

Sean Whithead is the clubs overseas player for 2025, the South African slow left armer and middle/top order batsman plays for Free State in the South African first class system. He has a batting average of just shy of 30 with two centuries. He has over 100 wickets including a ten for, with an average under 22. The club have signed a second slow left arm bowler in Jash Giyanani, who is studying at Loughborough University. Jash has represented UAE Under 19s and will also strengthen the batting order. Rizwan Ishtaq has made the move over from Sheffield Collegiate CC and has already impressed at training. The pace man will take the new ball for the side and the club are hoping his Yorkshire CCC commitments won’t limit his club duties. Joseph Simpkin, at only 18, will take the role of one of five spinners in the side after the making the move from Hollinsend Methodists CC.

Oliver Bennett will feel like a new signing after spending the 2024 season out with a shoulder injury. He will open the batting with Barnsley’s very own superstar Owen Smith. Owen has continually defied his young years throughout his Barnsley career and at 18, he’ll be the club’s talisman with the bat. Stephen Walters is the only player in the team over the age of 30 and one of only two players over the age of 24. In fact, take Walters and Whitehead out of the team and the average age is a little over twenty.

Ciaran Stenton will take the gloves for the season and hopefully provide valuable runs for the side. William Nicholson also strengthens the batting line up and is part of the quintet of spinners. Manny Shinwari offers a left arm seam option with the ball too.

Today’s opponents Shiregreen will hope to start the summer as strong as they did last year before they faltered at the half way point of the season, finishing in ninth place. They welcome back Imran Khan who had three seasons at Tickhill.

Barnsley’s visit today will be their first ever top division game at Shiregreen, after last year’s fixture fell foul of the weather on ironically the opening day of the season. It will be a close call in this game as both teams look to start the season with twelve points.