​Chesterfield CC make first signings for 2024 season

​The Queen's Park club, aiming to return to the top flight of Derbyshire club cricket, have welcomed two new players.

They are also looking to give more of their young players a taste of league cricket.

Left-handed top-order batsman Ben Kingham has joined from Cutthorpe and wicket-keeper/batsman Kieran Marsh from Morton Colliery.

They will increase competition for places in a squad which just missed promotion to the Premier Division of the Derbyshire League last summer.

Chesterfield looked strong contenders for one of the two promotion spots for most of the campaign.

They were buoyed by winning the T20 County Cup but - hit by injuries, bad weather and a loss of form over the closing weeks - faded into fourth place in Division One.

The 21-year-old Kingham has been a first-team regular at Cutthorpe for several years.

He is from Chesterfield and has a family link to the Club because his father, Nigel, is a former player.

He said: "I can't wait to play on Queen's Park with what I know are a great set of lads and play my part in trying to get Chesterfield back to the Premier League.

"My dad grew up playing at Chesterfield and recalls many fond memories. I have no doubt I'll create similar."

The 30-year-old Marsh said: "After playing for Morton for 10 years it felt the right time for a change.

"I had been speaking with club captain Harry Wilmott since the end of the season and he told me of the Club's exciting plans and ambitions for the next few years."

Club chairman Nigel Mallender said: "As we saw last season with the number of unfortunate injuries we experienced, a strong squad is important.

"Having competition for places is healthy.

"It improves the quality of the team and means you get pushed that little bit harder.

"That can only be a good thing and you can already sense the hunger and desire from the lads who are eager to get going again."

Chesterfield are also making changes to their Sunday side who compete in the Mansfield & District League.

The League have agreed to Chesterfield's request to play in Section One rather than the Premier.

This will allow them more opportunities to give promising members of the junior section an introduction to league cricket with the hope that they can rise through the ranks of the senior sides.

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