Newly appointed North Middlesex captain James Parslow knows he has ‘big boots to fill’ as he takes over the reigns from title-winning skipper Joel Hughes.

The New Zealand overseas star will try and lead the team to a second consecutive Middlesex League Premier Division title in a shortened season with Hughes missing out due to remaining shielded in the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

And his side got off to a dream start with a comfortable nine-wicket victory over Richmond after they bowled their opponents out for just 96.

“It’s a huge honour, especially considering I’ve come from overseas, but we have quite a strong link dating back 30 to 40 years with my New Zealand, so I’m not over representing North Midd, I’m representing Suburbs in New Zealand as well,” Parslow said.

“It’s going to be pretty hard boots to fill considering we won last year and I think many people in the league would consider Joel probably the best seam bowler in the league. I don’t know his statistics, but I think he has an average of 16.

“I’m definitely looking forward to it, though, and we’ve retained our whole squad barring him, so I’m excited to see what we can conjure up again.”

The new skipper admitted how great it felt to be back out on the pitch last weekend, adding: “It was amazing, the whole set-up at the club has just been so good, the committee are working extremely long hours to get the juniors involved and now it’s really good to have the seniors out.”

Parslow also insisted the future looks bright for the club with plenty of youngsters rising up through the ranks and Middlesex stars Luke Hollman and Joe Cracknell still on the books.

“We’ve got some really good academy players coming through, there is three or four boys I would like to think will make their debuts for the first team this year, so I’m excited to see how those guys go,” he said.

“I’m also excited to see what Luke Hollman and Joe Cracknell do. In some ways I guess we’re hoping they don’t play for us too much as it means they’re playing for Middlesex, but when they do they bring professionalism back to the game by bringing things they’ve been learning at Middlesex training.

“It’s special to have those boys back and you can see in that nine-wicket win, a very mature innings, they saw off the new ball and made sure we didn’t have any minor collapses early on.

“Hugh Teesdale has been up in Leeds all winter, training with Leeds University team, and he’s come back and is looking seriously dangerous.”