Bharat delighted to be back at Burnley

The 29-year-old, who re-wrote the record books at Turf Moor when guiding the club to the quadruple in 2015, enjoyed a spell away in Merseyside where he experienced an alternative format of cricket in the Liverpool and District Competition.

Tripathi took 68 wickets last season with his best figures of 7/47 coming in defeat to Rainhill CC almost 12 months ago.

After featuring in games against defending champions Walsden and then Crompton, where he took three wickets in each, Tripathi said: “I’m glad to be back. It was good last year and I probably played some of the best cricket as an amateur. I enjoyed playing a different format of cricket but it’s nice to be back playing with my home club.

“It was difficult to watch the Worsley Cup final last year, knowing that I couldn’t play a part in it. But it was great to see the club win the Twenty20 competition and reach the final of the Worsley Cup.”

Tripathi has slotted back in seemlessly under Dan Pickup’s watch, almost like he’s never been away. Now he just wants to get back in to the groove and help Burnley move forward.

He said: “We’ve got a strong team and the professional (Shadley Van Schalkwyk) has yet to arrive. He’s a top quality player.

“We’re a good outfit, we’re just disappointed that we didn’t back our win up against Walsden.

“It’s pretty much the same side as what it was a couple of years ago before I left for Bootle. Qasim Shah is playing a bigger role now and Joe McCluskie is one of the most talented and dangerous all-rounders in the league.

“We are always competing. We want to continue competing as we have been in the cups and go that bit further in the league if we can.”

Burnley entertain Enfield in the first round of the Worsley Cup on Saturday and travel to Redbrook to take on Rochdale on Sunday.