COLCHESTER and East Essex Cricket Club’s first XI will benefit from having an experienced captain this season.

That’s the view of chairman Andrew Kennedy, who believes the guidance of newly-appointed skipper Darren Eckford can be invaluable for the Castle Park side.

Kiwi Eckford has taken over from Jake Foley as the club’s first-team captain, as they bid for a successful Shepherd Neame Essex League division one campaign.

Kennedy said: “Over the last few years, we’ve had a young and inexperienced captain so to have someone of Darren’s calibre and experience at the helm is invaluable.

“He’s done a lot of work with the players already and it’s been very positive.

“Jake Foley did a reasonable job but without that experience alongside him, he struggled a bit.

“Hopefully now there’s a bit more of a mixture of experience but also still having a lot of the talented youngsters.

“They’re all now a year older with another year of men’s cricket under their belt.”

Colchester have also created a brand new Director of Cricket role, appointing club stalwart Julian Russell in the role for the coming season.

The Australian opener will manage the Castle Park side’s overall cricket committee and is also hoping to play in around half of their first XI games.

“It’s a role that we’ve talked about having in the past but not had the right elements to pull together all of the aspects,” said Kennedy.

Last season’s first-team regulars Ollie Bocking, Josh Rymell, Jake Foley and Jack Hebron have all left Colchester for pastures new.

But wicket-keeper batsman Jonny Bassett-Graham has arrived from New Zealand, as a player-coach.

And Colchester have also signed Jack Hobbs, a Suffolk development player and formerly of Framlingham College.

Colchester completed a quickfire double over Wivenhoe in division one of the North Essex Cricket League.

Having beaten Wivenhoe by seven wickets at Rectory Road seven days earlier, Colchester continued their winning start to the season by winning by 62 runs in the reverse fixture at Castle Park.

On this occasion, Colchester made 224 for nine, with Johnny Bassett-Graham hitting 61 for the hosts, before Wivenhoe were restricted to 162 for eight, including a knock of 48 from Harry Burnett 48.

Colchester have two important cup games at Castle Park, this weekend.

Colchester host South Woodford in the Dukes Essex League Cup first round on Saturday (12.30pm start).

And the following day, Cambridge Granta are the visitors in the ECB National Club Championship (1pm start).