Paul Blake believes a third promotion on the spin could be on the cards for Stowmarket Cricket Club after their bright start to the new season, writes Alex Moss.

The Chilton Fields-based side currently sit at the top of Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship Division Four, continuing the good form which saw them win both the Division Five and Six titles over the last two years.

Stowmarket began their 2018 campaign with six straight wins, before defeats to fellow high-flyers Eight Ash Green and Felixstowe & Corinthians last weekend cut their lead at the top to 19 points.

But having bounced back from two relegations in three years, in 2013 and 2015, which saw the club drop from Division Four to Division Six, captain Blake believes the good times are now back.

“I think it was a really dark time for the club over those couple of years, to be honest with you,” he said.

“There appeared to be little light at the end of the tunnel and that’s when we decided it would be a good opportunity to rebuild and come back stronger.

“We invested in youth and brought a couple of players through from the second team and the youth teams, and since then there’s been some really good progression.

“At the start of this season it was more about consolidation and staying up, doing things the right way, but we’ve started fantastically well.

“Anything’s possible and as we stand currently I think we’ve got a very good chance to be in the promotion shake up come the end of the season.”

A Dale Watling century helped Stowmarket to a 63-run win against Elmstead II a fortnight ago, which stretched their winning start to the season to six games.

But an eight-wicket defeat at Eight Ash Green last Saturday, followed by a 42-run loss away at Felixstowe & Corinthians the next day, slowed Stowmarket’s early-season momentum.

The league leaders will look to bounce back this weekend, with third-from-bottom Nacton set to visit Chilton Fields this Saturday (1pm).

Anyone interested in playing for the club should contact Paul via email at blakie123@hotmail.co.uk