Burslem sign Staffordshire batsman Matt Morris
Burslem have been quick out of the blocks with their squad rebuild after recruiting Staffordshire batsman Matt Morris.
The Festival Heights outfit have endured a miserable summer after losing 21 of their 22 matches to be relegated from North Staffs and South Cheshire League Premier A.
That comes just a year on from them reclaiming their place in the top flight - and they have wasted little time in putting plans in place for 2025.
Left-handed batsman Morris, who also bowls off spin, has joined Burslem on a two-year contract from Greater Manchester League side Westhoughton.
Morris, aged 25, has previous experience of life in the NSSCL.
He played one match for Little Stoke in 2019 and half-a-dozen games for Moddershall & Oulton in 2020.
Morris said: “I am excited to be back in the North Staffs and South Cheshire League.
“People may look and say it’s joining a Premier B club, but I’m looking forward to playing my part in Burslem’s rebuild.
“The club wants to go again and I’m pleased to be part of it.”
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Morris has featured in all three formats for Staffordshire since making his debut for the county in 2019.
He helped Staffs to win the Eastern Division in his maiden summer, and played in the Championship final which saw them suffer an agonising one-wicket loss to Berkshire at Banbury.
Morris was also part of this season’s Division One East title-winning side - and the team which shared the overall title with Berkshire at West Bromwich Dartmouth earlier this month.
He has scored more than 1,500 runs for the county across all competitions.
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Morris has churned out the runs on a consistent basis for Westhoughton as well, with a top score of 149 against Farnworth in 2022. That was one of five centuries he scored that season.
Burslem are set for a busy winter as they rejig their playing options following this year’s forgettable summer.
Chairman Paul Johnson said: “Matt is a player we have admired for a couple of seasons - it’s a mark in the sand.
“We’re looking to rebuild and be competitive in Premier B and look to the future.
“Matt is a good age at 25 and although the deal is two years, we hope it goes beyond that.
“Hopefully he will have a very successful time with us. We’re also looking to attract a couple more players of Matt’s calibre.”