MUCH-TRAVELLED all-rounder David Taylor is looking forward to a fresh challenge after being appointed director of cricket and captain at Kidlington.

The 31-year-old big-hitter, who played for Undercliffe in the Bradford League last season, has joined Kidlington on a three-year contract which offers both parties a get-out clause after two years.

Before playing in the north, Cholsey-based Taylor had been something of a Home Counties Premier League talisman, having captured the Division 1 crown with Banbury, High Wycombe (twice) and Henley.

Now he is to tackle Division 2 West for the first time with ambitious Kidlington - and is aiming to take them up at the first attempt.

Taylor, who takes over from Mark Strong as captain, said: "It will be more of a challenge than just turning up and playing for someone.

"I want more involvement. I have been involved in good cricket and watched some good things and I want to give it a shot.

"Kidlington are in the Feeder League now, so they are a serious club with potential and a bit of a blank canvas.

"I hope that is what they have seen in me as well. I will try and bring things to the club - not just a good 1st XI, but a good atmosphere. The club is in a position it needs to capitalise on and to bring it forward. It is nice of them to think of me."

Taylor, who has represented Worcestshire and Derbyshire in one-day and Twenty20 cricket, explained that Strong - a former clubmate of his at North Oxford - had been willing to step down if he joined the club.

"He has done all the hard work," added Taylor. "I would feel a little bit sorry for Strongy if we managed to get up into the Premier League because it would be five years of his hard work and one year of mine.

"Hopefully he will be playing a part of that. We want him to do that, and also to be there for me."

Kidlington's new supremo has already made his mark by entering the club in the Basingstoke-based Dummer Cricket Centres Indoor League, winning two of their first three games.

Playing in front of crowds of up to 350 last summer, Taylor finished as the second leading run-scorer in Division 2 of the Bradford League with almost 900 runs - including three centuries - as Undercliffe finished fourth.

His bowling, though, was hampered by an ankle injury, and a tally of 20 wickets fell below his expect- ations.

He was also a member of the Bradford League side, which won the county representative competition