Gloveman Matt aims to catch starting place

10 August 2007

ALL ROUNDER Matt Simpson is set to swap his wicket keeping gloves for shin pads as he bids to hold down a first team place in the Ryman League. Simpson has kept wicket for Horsham Cricket Club's first XI throughout much of the summer, and now he has returned from university, hopes to feature regularly for Horsham YMCA in Ryman Division 1 South. Just 24 hours after featuring for the Sussex second XI, he was pulling on a YM shirt in the friendly against Horsham on Tuesday. The midfielder commented: "I'm hoping to nail down a place in the team, I have been at university for three years and that set me back quite a bit, but now I am back in the area for good I hope to be pushing for a place. "I had a couple of stints in the youth team at Horsham and had a couple of substitute appearances for them before I moved to YM and then went to uni (in Birmingham). I have been going back to YM doing pre season training when I have been back in the holidays, now I'm back and looking for a first team place." Simpson has been a regular feature for Horsham, but was shocked to get a call for the Sussex second team where he lined up against Middlesex in the second XI trophy. "I was quite surprised to be called up for them. It was nice for me, I was playing alongside some really decent cricketers," he added. "I feel I have done ok in my first full season in the first team at Horsham, I have been trying to concentrate on my own game, I would like to have done better but I feel I have done quite well. "It's a transitional year for myself and a number of players in the team, hopefully we can push the team on next year to better things. "Whether I can play for the start of the season is a decision between (YM manager) John Suter and the cricket club, we will have to see how it goes." Matt, who describes himself as an attacking midfield player, hopes to fill the void left by last season's top scorer Scott Kirkwood. "With Scott leaving there is a hole alongside Tom White, it's one I can push for," he remarked. "I try to get box to box as much as I can, if I can play there with Tom it will enable me to get forward."