Vitas leaves after Ketton coup, familar faces oppose Peterborough Town and all the main weekend cricket fixtures

It’s understood Vitas quit on Wednesday night (July 29) after hearing he was about to be sacked by the club committee despite unprecedented success since their captain’s arrival at Pit Lane in 2014. Vitas bankrolled the arrival of several paid players over the years, but also handed debuts to several young, local lads.

Several regular members of last season’s Ketton Sports first team have left with their skipper, as has player-coach Bashrat Hussain, which is a blow to the club as they are due to start their Leicestershire League Division Three campaign at Billesdon tomorrow (August 1). The second team fixture at home to Billesdon has been called off, but the club intend to honour all scheduled fixtures.

It’s thought Ketton Sports want to accommodate more local players in the first team set up at Pit Lane.

“It’s very sad,” Vitas told the Peterborough Telegraph. “I’ve had six great years with the club and we’ve achieved some wonderful things. We’ve won seven trophies with the highlights being a Cambs Division One title success in 2017 and a Stamford Cup double in 2018.

“We were halfway through a two-year plan which is disappointing, but the committee want to go in a different direction to me and I wish them all the best.

“Since my departure was confirmed I have many messages of support even from some people I have never played alongside and that means a lot to me.”

Vitas will seek another club to play for this season. He will continue to act as manager of the Hunts County team.

Of the departing Ketton Sports players gifted all-rounder Ryan Evans is expected to return to Castor with pace ace Will Compton likely to go back to Newborough.

Meanwhile a couple of familiar faces stand between Peterborough Town and a second Northants Premier Division win of the season tomorrow (August 1).

Opponents Desborough have two old Town players in their line-up in opening batsman Danny Malik and off-spinner Mohammed Saif, but neither youngster would get into the club’s current first-team line-up.

Desborough did record a first win of the season against Brixworth last weekend, but Town will be a tougher nut to crack at Bretton Gate.

Locally the South Lincs League kicks off this weekend as does the Leicestershire League which involves Ketton Sports.

And there’s a first National Village Cup tie in Castor’s history on Sunday (August 2. 1pm) when they host Leicestershire League outfit Billesdon.

Major weekend fixtures

Saturday, August 1

(11am) Northants Premier Division - Old Northamptonians v Oundle Town, Peterborough Town v Desborough.

(noon) Lincs Premier Division - Boston v Market Deeping, Bracebridge Heath v Bourne.

(12.30pm) Cambs Division One - March v Cambridge St Giles, Wisbech v St Ives & Warboys.

Cambs Division Two West - AK 11v Huntingdon.

Sunday, August 1

(1pm) National Village Cup - Castor v Billesdon.

(noon) Rutland Division One - Burghley Park v Uffington, Peterborough Town v King’s Keys, Market Deeping v March, Oundle v Barnack.