THE new captain of Dunfermline and Carnegie Cricket Club is hopeful that a promotion push will be within their capabilities this season.

This weekend, the 2023 campaign is set to begin, with the McKane Park outfit's first XI, led by skipper, George Olney, ready to compete in the East of Scotland Cricket Association's Division Two.

Last term, the team enjoyed a great start, as they led the table for a few weeks and, by the halfway stage, were sitting among the top three sides, only a few points behind leaders Stewart's Melville second XI.

After winning six of their opening eight games, form deserted the Fifers and they finished fifth, winning only three of their remaining nine matches.

Yorkshireman Olney is hoping that the 2023 team can maintain consistent form throughout the campaign, and open their programme with a win at Kelso on Saturday.

"We made a fantastic start to the season, winning our first four matches, but, despite scoring some huge totals, we lost several games by some indifferent bowling and poor fielding, and that is something we will have to work hard to improve this season," he said.

"We have a few new acquisitions and hopefully they will settle in quickly and can make a strong contribution to us making a good start to our programme, although we know from last season that it is a highly competitive division, and we will have to be at our best every week to get the results we need to be up there challenging for promotion."

Top order batter and useful seam bowler Olney hopes he can lead from the front and produce some good consistent personal performances, adding: "It is up to me set the bar, for we have some outstanding players who can take a grip of games with bat and ball, but we all have to do that consistently.

"We have the talent to set big scores regularly, if we play to our strengths, and then restrict our opponents with accurate bowling and good quality fielding.

"Our aim will be to win games consistently, from Saturday onwards, and get promotion to Division One."

At the weekend the club's second XI played Glenrothes (pictured), at McKane Park, in a 30 over match and won by 50 runs.

James Spreng and Dylan Wood both hit 30s, in a total of 155 for 5 and the side then restricted Glens to 105.

Dunfermline and Carnegie will have the first team in Division Two, with the second string in Division Six, and a young third team in Division Seven.

The thirds will play home games at Broomhall’s home, The Cairns, as the club continues to develop youthful talent.

Meanwhile, Broomhall will this season play in the Strathmore and Perthshire Cricket Union, with their first league match scheduled for this Saturday, at home to Glenrothes second XI.