Impressive one-day performances last season put Eden on top of the table before the Christmas break and club president Drew Mudaliar said he hoped for much the same start this time around.

“Last year we had a really good one-day season, which put us on top,” Mudaliar said.

“We then struggled a bit in the two-dayers and only limped into the finals.

“I guess we won the games that mattered, but we know we can’t afford to start poorly.”

Eden defeated Bega/Angledale by a mere 16 runs in the 2013/14 FSCCA final, claiming the title on first inning points (Magnet, 3/4).

To help Eden defend its title, Mudaliar said while the club “may have lost a couple, but we’ve picked up a few as well”.

Chief among those gains is Marty Butchers.

Mudaliar said Butchers has had a two-year layoff due to injury but the valuable all-rounder is back and keen to take his place in the starting 11.

Also returning is A grade skipper Reece Wheeler and one of the association’s top 10 bowlers of last season Tyrone Thomas.

Thomas played eight matches and claimed figures of 24 wickets for 241 runs from 104.3 overs, including 29 maidens.

Mudaliar said Thomas really came into his own later in the season and will once again form a formidable bowling attack with Wheeler and Matthew Bell – both also listed among the top bowlers for the 2013/14 season.

Mudaliar said another potential plus for Eden could be the return of opening batsman Luke Timms from Darwin.

The club also has enough depth to be looking at fielding B and C grade sides as well as juniors in under 10s and under 12s.

Eden’s senior sides train on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4.30pm at the Eden Cricket Ground.

A registration and training day for juniors is being organised with more details in next week’s Magnet.

Meanwhile, the Pambula Bluedogs are also looking to step up to the challenge of a new season.

Club president David Smith said while Pambula has fielded A and C grades for several years, their title-winning C grade squad will make the push into B grade for the upcoming season.

“The majority of the team is 15 to 17-year-old kids who have been in C grade for a couple of years,” Smith said.

“They are up for the challenge of stepping up and improving their cricket.”

Smith said the Pambula A grade squad also sports plenty of youth along with a few older heads and hoped to be a competitive force this summer.

“We won a couple of two-dayers and we were competitive, but struggled a bit, in the one-day games,” he admitted.

“But now everyone is a year older and with any luck we will be competitive again.”

Key for the Bluedogs according to Smith is fostering a love of the game in the region’s youth.

“We are providing them with a sport that hopefully they continue with through their life.

“It’s not about winning premierships – it’s about nurturing people and making cricket a part of their lives.”

The club is also fielding under 12s and under 14s this season and Smith invited anyone from the community interested in a game to head along. 

The Pambula Bluedogs train every Thursday from 4pm at the Pambula Recreation Reserve.

Juniors train on Friday afternoons.