Shane Dadswell is the new captain of Instonians and he insists the defending champions are still the team to beat, adding: “We should be feared”.

The South African professional, who was appointed this year as player-coach at Shaw’s Bridge on a three-year deal, has stepped into the breach after Nikolai Smith stepped aside 10 days ago.

Dadswell has the same players at his disposal with the probable exception of Smith, whose future on the 1st XI remains uncertain, and the new skipper believes they are good enough to win back-to-back league titles. They also remain on course to repeat their treble success from last year, just two matches away from defending their All-Ireland T20 crown and also in the semi-final of the NCU Challenge Cup.

“I am taking over at a good time – we have plenty to look forward to,” says Dadswell. “I still believe teams are chasing us. We are the team to beat, I genuinely do. Waringstown got the rub of us (in this month’s Premier League game at The Lawn, when Instonians dropped nine catches). That is the game that has decided the league for the last couple of years and they still have to come to Shaw’s Bridge. We should be feared.”

With plenty of experience of captaincy before he moved to Northern Ireland for the first time in 2023, Dadswell was the obvious choice to take over from Smith, having already led by example with his runs this season.

“I captained many sides in South Africa and I enjoy it. The job needs to be done and captaining this Instonians side should be relatively easy as they know what they are doing. It is an experienced group, we are a strong squad.”

However, it was one of the younger players who starred in their most recent match, the Challenge Cup quarter-final victory against Carrickfergus last Sunday when the team topped 400 after an astonishing innings of 182 from 71 balls by Sully Gould.

The former Kent Academy player – he played in the same team as England’s Zac Crawley – has improved out of all recognition from the batter who was given only occasional appearances in the 1st XI last season – and has already scored more than 500 runs this summer.

“I have no idea why he has improved so much – and he probably doesn’t know either,” said Dadswell, “but Sully is a very good player, a great addition, and great to have him in the form he is. My wish is that everyone scores double the amount of runs than me and take more wickets than me. Then my job becomes easier. I love as much help as I can get.”

When I suggested that Instonians’ opening bowling attack was their weak link, he came back with an instant retort.

“I admit our opening bowling attack is our weakest link, but it is not a weak link. We have managed to take wickets in the powerplay and contain teams up front although I admit it is not as potent as the rest of our line-up.

“Freddie Pearson deserves his opportunity and we are lucky at Instonians that we have a strong youth system. It makes my job easier in improving kids because you are not teaching them how to play. I’m learning on the job a little bit but the coaching has been a joy.”

It means Dadswell is full-on every day of the week. On Wednesday, for example, he was at Comber umpiring Instonians’ Graham Cup quarter-final against North Down where Hridaan Salian took five wickets and Vidath Geddam scored 50 from just 24 balls – both have already appeared for the Firsts this season – and next night he was with the Under 13s at the Banoge Cup Final when they lost to Bangor.

“I can’t be everywhere but I try to get round all the teams. Neil Rock looks after the 11A and 11Bs,” he added.

Rock will be an absentee this weekend as he is in Hong Kong where his partner now lives, but he is there with the club’s blessing.

“Leading into the season he asked us if we would be comfortable if he could travel during the season. Family is always number one,” says Dadswell, who is now living here with his South African wife, Meghan, “and we would rather have Neil than not have him.”.

The captain would not reveal any team news ahead of their double header at Lisburn on Saturday and at home to North Down on Sunday but did say “we always try to put out our strongest team”.

Whether that includes Smith, going forward, remains to be seen but both the club and Smith refused to make any comment on his decision to step aside and Dadswell agreed to this interview on the understanding that he would not be asked about it either.

After 15 years at Instonians, Smith remains a member and a player. Indeed, while the 1st XI were beating CI by nine runs at Belmont last Saturday, the former captain was scoring 50 for the Seconds.

Looking ahead to the weekend Dadswell is expecting two good games of cricket.

“Both teams have good pros, Lisburn will rely heavily on Jon (Heinrichsen) this weekend with Ross (Adair) and (Ben) Calitz away (with Ireland), so it’s a chance to take them.

“North Down, their pro has a lot of experience, look stronger than they have been in recent years and we will not be taking them for granted as I hope they won’t take us for granted.”

No matter who is captaining Instonians, it’s unlikely they will ever be taken for granted, and definitely not while Dadswell is leading from the front, and already closing in on 700 runs this season.

What he is not taking for granted is a place in the Ireland team when he qualifies on residency in April 2028.

His take on that: “Ireland is a long way away. For now, I’m fully focused on winning games for Instonians. I need to do a lot to have the opportunity to play for this country which I am willing to do. But it would be nothing but disrespectful to expect that I can just stroll in. I am excited at the prospect, but that’s all.”