Radlett Cricket Club have failed in their attempt to sign a promising U19 World Cup spinner, and so start the season with the side who finished third last year.

Hopes of recruiting Gary Kidd, an Ireland left-armer on the MCC Young Professionals staff at Lord's, and strengthening the team's spin department, have been scuppered.

But despite the setback, Radlett's new captain Dan Chippeck was upbeat ahead of the new Home Counties League campaign. He said: "We were hoping Gary would give us an extra dimension this summer, but as we were one of the better sides in the league last year, there's no reason why we can't get promotion."

Though Radlett have made no major signings, they have acquired another quality coach, with Neville Collman arriving at Cobden Hill to complement work by two South Africans, Shane Burger and Muhammad Akoojee.

Collman, formerly with Potters Bar and Old Owens, has long been regarded as the top youth coach in the north London area.

On the field, Radlett's main bowling threat is again in the seam department, with the incredible accuracy of Stuart Browne making him the most consistent bowler in Hertfordshire for the past decade. The main support looks likely to come from Shane Burger, Simon Jackson and Graham Dill.

The batting should remain the most powerful unit in the division, with three Hertfordshire batsmen Steve Lowe, Haydn Smith and Rob Smith forming the nucleus with Burger. Haydn Smith, the former South Africa A left-hander, should be available for most of the summer after relinquishingthe captaincy for business reasons.

Radlett, with probably the finest cricket facility in the league, are anxious to regain their position as the premier club. Their hard competitive edge was apparent in a long run to the Evening Standard Trophy quarter-finals last year, where they were the only Hertfordshire club capable of mixing it with the top London sides.

This season Radlett's second team, under the captaincy of Amjad Khan, has been strengthened in Herts Division Three by the arrival of Akoojee, 21, a batsman and leg-spinner with a fine reputation.

This season, by coincidence, all Radlett's five league sides have new captains, with Chippeck, Khan, Tim Smithers (Division Five), Matt Bell (Division Six) and Vikram Rajput (Division 12) taking the reins. With an influx of new players at Cobden Hill, all five teams have a realistic promotion chance, and there could be a chance to field a sixth team for non-league games.

u 15-year-old Elstree cricketer Rob Watson had a dream debut for Radlett first team on Saturday, taking a wicket with his very first ball against Uxbridge.

Herts wicketkeeper Steve Lowe held on to a low edge from a Watson outswinger. The youngster finished with two wickets during a eight-wicket warm-up win at Cobden Hill. In the 45-over match Uxbridge scored 156-5, a total which Radlett overhauled with 13 overs to spare, Rob Smith helping himself to 63 not out.

The Hertfordshire League season starts tomorrow with the second team against Letchworth II at Cobden Hill. The first team play a warm-up game at Winchmore Hill tomorrow before next weekend's Home Counties League East opener against Hemel Hempstead.