The clubhouse at Wavertree is back open after last year’s flooding problems – now incoming captain Theo O’Brien wants his young side to make a splash.

After a winter of hard work in the nets, he’s excited about leading the side out in Division Two, with the aim of improving on last season’s 10th place.

But more important to him is making sure Wavertree is an enjoyable place to play cricket.

He said: “I’ve played 1st XI cricket since I was about 13 or 14 so I’m hoping my experiences playing under lots of different captains will help me have a good go at it. 

“If there was anything we missed last year, it was the social side of things, because the clubhouse flooded. 

“It’s still small but it’s a lot fresher and more modern, which is nice. And we won’t be stuck in a little portable changing room.

“The team’s really young this year, and I’m excited about that as well. 

“I feel like I want to kick on and push on and lead by example. 

“I’ve been working hard over the winter and so have the other lads. I’m hoping for a good team effort where everyone chips in.”

There won’t be a massive change to the make-up of the side this year, despite O’Brien taking the reins from Chris Heath.

But on the field as well as off it, sometimes a lick of paint is all that’s needed.

The new skipper added: “Some of the lads that left didn’t play much last year, and where we’ve lost people in certain areas, we’ve gained in similar areas. 

“I’m not expecting a massively different side to last year but we’ve got some new lads in to freshen up the side and hopefully add something different.

“We are looking to improve, but I wouldn’t say a certain position. We want to finish as high as we can. 

“What we have done this year is to net together as a team, focusing on all the things we want to do together. 

“We’re training with a bit more intent and a bit more game focus, putting training time aside to work on our fielding and holding each other to account. We want everyone to play with responsibility.

“We are a young team, a work in progress, and we’re doing everything we can to be as good as we can. I want it to be a fun place for the lads to play, and if we win then it’s even better.”