In many ways, Jack O’Connell is a bit of a throwback.

Lydney’s new captain loves his cricket, of course he does, but the longer the game the more he enjoys it.

That’s quite a change in an era when T20 in its many guises is becoming the dominant force in cricket at all levels across the globe.

“I enjoy every aspect of the 50-over games,” said all-rounder O’Connell. “There’s a lot more thinking involved and if you make a mistake, particularly when batting, it’s very costly.”

And there are another couple of reasons he likes the longer format.

“You’re out in the sun for longer and you’re out with your mates for longer!” he laughed.

Ironically, O’Connell’s game, and particularly his batting, would appear ideally suited to the shorter format because he describes himself as a pinch hitter.

He also bowls medium pace away swing so he will be a key player on Saturday afternoons as the club look to get out of the County League and back into the Gloucestershire Division of the West of England League.

And make no mistake, promotion is the aim for Lydney this season.

“Yes, definitely,” said O’Connell. “We want to be playing at the best level we can.”

And 26-year-old O’Connell is pretty bullish about his team’s chances this season.

“We’ve got a new young overseas player in Sam Bray,” he explained. “He’s come over from Australia and he’s an opening bat so hopefully he’ll get a lot of runs.

“And we’ve got a number of youngsters coming through – Jack Knox who is a top order bat and bowls off-spin and Callum Miller who is a seam bowler.”

O’Connell is also encouraged by the fact that Will Jones should be available for much of the season.

“He’s a Forest boy who emigrated to Australia a couple of years ago but he’s back this summer for a couple of weddings so he should be able to play quite a few games,” said O’Connell, who lives in Ruardean Woodside.

Jones can bat in the top four and bowls left-arm spin and when you consider that the club can also call on opening batsman Jonathon Kear, experienced seamer Paul Morris and Ed Jones, you can see why O’Connell is in optimistic mood.

“We’ve got a lot more strength in depth this season,” added O’Connell. “We’ve got some good lads coming through the 2nds.”

And those youngsters are receiving the best possible cricketing education because the 2nds are captained by Adrian Knox, a very good player back in the day who also doubles up as the club’s chairman these days.

“And the 3rds are run by Adam Slee who is another good player to be looking after the youngsters,” said O’Connell.

O’Connell isn’t short of experience himself, having joined the club eight years ago from Parkend, and he reckons now is the right time for him to take on the captaincy.

“I’ve been at the club for quite a long time,” said O’Connell, who was born in Parkend. “I like to think I bring a lot of energy to the club both on and off the field.”

And ‘energy’ is one of the words that Cinderford director of rugby Paul Morris uses when describing O’Connell who is also a very good rugby player and has played a couple of National Two South games for the club’s flagship team this season.

“He’s a good lad to have around the club,” said Morris. “He’s very popular and brings an energy to the place.”

He has played largely for the United this season – he played his age group rugby at Lydney before switching to Cinderford – but can play anywhere in the backs and was good enough to be Gloucestershire Under-20s’ scrum-half when they reached the county championship final six years ago.

So which sport is he best at?

“I’d say I’m probably best at rugby,” he said, before adding, “but I’d say I prefer playing cricket.”

It’s that love of all things cricket that shines through when O’Connell talks about England’s number one sport and it’s something that seems sure to serve his club well in the coming season.