WITHAM Cricket Club captain Jake Wakelin feels his team's first-ever Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship title can be the beginning of a special period in the club's history.

By becoming the 2019 Two Counties champions, Wakelin's team have done something that no other Witham side has managed in more than 150 years.

They not only won the title, but did it in emphatic fashion, winning 15 games in a row and demolishing a lot of the opposition along the way, however, the Witham skipper knows they will be a target for rivals next year.

With age on their side, Wakelin feels this team can go on to achieve more together, but he also realises that next year will be tough as others will be looking to dethrone them.

"I do see it as the start of something," said Wakelin. "We only have two players who are over the age of 30 and that's pretty good. "We are a group of young hungry players, but we know the most difficult thing will be the second season.

"People will want to beat the champions, but if we play like we have done this year, I know we can do it again and that is something that we'll be looking to do.

"There are no other clubs brimming with as much confidence as we are; everyone has been fantastic.

"That's not just the players, the support we've had from wives, girlfriends and families of the players has been incredible and the comments I've been hearing have been lovely.

"People have said that coming down to games and seeing how we've been playing has made their summer.

"To hear how much enjoyment we've brought people means so much."