Two captains for Buckinghamshire CCC as Harrison gives up one-day side job

For the first time, Bucks will have two official captains this season after Jason Harrison (pictured) decided to stand down from leading the one-day side.

Harrison will continue to lead the county in the Unicorns (formerly Minor Counties) Championship, which are played over three days.

The new one-day captain, Michael Payne, formerly of Slough CC but now with Tring Park CC, actually led the side in last season’s Minor Counties Trophy matches when Harrison was injured.

Harrison said: “Looking forward we have decided that time is right for Michael Payne to take over the position of one day captain. Michael, has all the qualities to be a success which I am sure we will see over the coming seasons.”

Payne leads a young side – with two exceptions – in Bucks’ warm-up match against Club Cricket Conference at Aston Rowant on Easter Monday.

The most exciting selection is that of 15-year-old High Wycombe prodigy Saif Zaib, who scored a stack of runs for Bucks junior sides last season.

There are also first senior appearances for seamer Tom Hampton (Gerrards Cross) and Charlie MacDonell, a youngster who has been part of the Northants set-up and lives in Olney.

At the other end of the age scale is Tring’s 48-year-old seamer Simon Stanaway, while Bucks’ record-breaking batsman Rob White is the only other player over 30.

The wicket-keeping duties in the absence of David Cranfield-Thompson, who will miss much of this season because of business commitments, are in the hands of his High Wycombe clubmate George Russell.

Bucks open their Unicorns KO Trophy one-day campaign against Herefordshire at Burnham on Sunday, May 4.

Bucks: (v Club Cricket Conference): M Payne (capt), S Khan, H Taj, R White, C MacDonell, C Thomas, G Russell (wkt), S Zaib, M Rance, D King, T Hampton, S Stanway.