STRETTON Cricket Club could become “a force to be reckoned with” after winning promotion to the highest level in their history.

After a superb season, the first team have been promoted as champions from the UKFast Cheshire Cricket League Division Three after losing just three of their 22 league games in 2017.

Captain Ehsan Malik believes this season’s success could be just the start for the men from Pewterspear Sports Pavillion.

“We’ve had a few problems over the years but we have risen through adversity,” he said.

“The players have shown their determination and commitment to get this done.

“When you consider how young a club we are, we’ve only been going for around 25 years, it’s a phenomenal achievement.”

“We feel we can excel at the next level and be playing in the Cheshire County League in four or five years. We could become a force to be reckoned with “I have to thank the Pewterspear Trust as without their help with playing facilities, we would never have been able to achieve this.”

Plenty of players to have come through the ranks at Stretton have gone on to enjoy cricketing success, with current Lancashire batsman Rob Jones being one of them having played his junior cricket at the Appleton-based club.

Runcorn captain James Mills and Kingsley skipper Toby Mullins, who have led their sides to promotion from Division One and Two of the Cheshire Cricket League respectively this year, have also spent time with the club in earlier stages of their careers.

“If you look at it, there is Stretton influence right the way up the league,” he said.

“We’ve acted as a feeder club in the past, but we have ambitions to change that.

“We want to be successful in our own right and hopefully be playing against the likes of Grappenhall and Warrington one day.”