Following one of their worst starts to a season in many a year a lot of soul searching at Great Ayton has resulted in a big shake-up at the village club, with a new leadership team put in place ahead of today’s relegation battle with Redcar.

This is unfamiliar territory for Ayton who have always punched well above their weight since gaining promotion to the Premier Division 12 years ago.

One championship and numerous short format cup successes, culminating in winning last year’s North of England T20 title and an appearance in front of the Sky TV cameras on national finals day, seem distant memories at the moment with the club languishing in one of the two relegation slots.

For the first time in many seasons the club decided not to bring in an overseas professional after enjoying a succession of big names such as Riaz Afridi, Lal Kumar and Nick Hendrie.

Those players tended to inspire confidence in their teammates, and the absence of the calming influence and professionalism of a player like South African Hendrie, allied to the 1,000 League runs a season that he brought to the party, has left something of a hole in the side.

A lack of runs has been the problem with the young pace duo of Lewis Harper and Joe Marsay still able to claim their fair share of wickets, although the spin back-up, so prominent in years gone by, has not been there this time around.

As well as the run of poor results, which include an unheard of first round exit from this year’s Macmillan T20 Cup, one major issue has been the availability problems faced by skipper David Grainge because of his business interests.

With those availability problems likely to continue a specially convened meeting enginenered big changes with Chris Batchelor taking over as captain, and Steve Pennock as his right hand man.

They will hopefully begin their new partnership at Leven Park today, although there is a slight doubt over Batchelor who missed a midweek cup tie through injury.

The meeting with the Seasiders takes on significance with the visitors just ten points ahead of Ayton in 11th place in the table, and on this occasion both David and Jonny Grainge are available and replace Henry Shelton and Tom Leng.

Redcar’s team will feature their new overseas man. Usman Arshad stepped off the plane and headed into the dressing room for last week’s home defeat to Norton, but having now had a week to acclimatize he will be raring to go for this one.

Norton’s win at Redcar lifted them up to ninth and well clear of the relegation placings, although they have played a game more than the teams below them.

Skipper Mattie Thomas is pleased with the progress made in the team’s first year back in the top flight and indicates there is lots of competition for places, so much so that Dave Cross and Lee Dalby are unable to reclaim their places after missing last week’s win, even though Peter Armstrong and Craig Symington are out of today’s match at Marske. Jon Kean and Patrick Mitchell are the players stepping in.

The other sides in and around the danger zone look to have particularly tough tasks today – bottom club Seaton Carew entertain unchanged champions Darlington who are third. Marton, just four points above Ayton, have Luke Gettings back for the trip to leaders Richmondshire, and Normanby Hall have an injury doubt over Dale Marshall ahead of their game at second-placed Barnard Castle.

Hartlepool, still nicely placed in fourth, 22 points behind the leaders but with a game in hand, have been hit by an ankle injury to opening bowler Callum Prosser who broke down bowling in last week’s one-wicket defeat at the hands of Guisborough.

Prosser, with 14 wickets to date, had formed a particularly effective opening partnership with Lewis Stabler, and his loss is a blow to Pool hopes of success.

They face further selection issues at Middlesbrough today with skipper Mike Yuill also sidelined through a groin injury, and John Rickard working.

Boro have parted company with Aussie amateur David Embleton, who has returned to former club Crook, but Adil Ditta, Gary Burgum and Matty Bell return.

There’s a derby at Fountains Garth where Guisborough entertain the only remaining unbeaten team in the division, Stokesley. Both teams go into the match with unchanged and full strength line-ups after recording victories last time out.