THE NEW club cricket season gets underway in earnest this weekend as all the region’s sides get out of the practice nets and onto the crease.

Teams from Thornbury, Chipping Sodbury, Cam, Rockhampton, Stone and many others will be turning their arms over in search of title glory and promotion.

Rockhampton will be looking to make their mark in the West of England Premier League Premier Two Glos/Wilts League after taking the Glos/Wilts title last year by 18 points ahead of Chippenham last season, during the summer.

Rockhampton get their campaign underway at Warminster CC on Saturday before their first home match in the new division the following week against Cheltenham.

Rockhampton seconds are at home to Lydney seconds on Saturday, with the third team away to Minchinhampton seconds.

Thornbury are also in the Premier Two Glos/Wilts division and take on Burbage and Easton Royal at The Ship Field, Thornbury, on Saturday.

Thornbury seconds are away at Oldlands firsts on Saturday, with the thirds at home to Hampset seconds and the fourths away at Bohemians.

Chipping Sodbury get their West of England Premier League Gloucestershire Division campaign underway on Saturday when they take on Woodmancote at home.

Sodbury will be aiming to have a better season than 2015 where they finished in seventh place and just 35 points above relegated Painswick.

But Woodmancote, who finished fourth in the table last season, will provide tough opposition for Sodbury before they travel to Frocester seconds Cam, who were third in last season’s Gloucestershire County League Division One, will be hoping to start the season with a bang as they look to mount another title challenge this summer.

They face a tough opening encounter at the Everlands ground where they entertain Painswick, who were relegated from the West of England Gloucestershire Division last season but only missed out on safety by 29 points to Bourton Vale CC.

Cam’s other teams are also starting their seasons on Saturday with the seconds away to Chedworth firsts, the thirds also tackling Painswick but away from home this time, while the fourths are at home to Whitminster seconds.

And, while Whitminster’s second string are at Cam, the first team will be at home in the Gloucestershire County League Division Seven against Tormarton.

Stone just missed out on promotion from the Gloucestershire County League second division last season by just five points as Cranham secured the runners-up spot behind winners Tetbury.

So Stone will be eager to kick-off their new campaign – and aim for one of the two promotion places again – when they take on Frampton-on-Severn at home this Saturday.

Stone’s seconds will also be at home in the Stroud and District League Division One against Stroud on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Old Down CC have already started their Bristol and District League first division campaign and continue it on Saturday with a home clash against Bristol YMCA.

And they have started it with a bang by winning both of their opening games and standing top of the table on 53 points, two ahead of second-placed Lansdown and 15 ahead of third-placed Dyrham and Hinton.

Frampton Cotterell stand mid-table in the division, having one and tied the other of their two games and face Nailsea away on Saturday.

And although Winterbourne stand bottom of the table at the moment, they have only played one match so far.