The left-arm paceman beat Mark Isham in the race to win the honour of leading the Orange Caps into battle this season.

He replaces new dad Giles Fagan, who has stepped down following the birth of his son Freddie.

The election result was announced at the club’s AGM at The Draft House in Battersea today.

Mark, after missing out on the captaincy, was voted in as the new club chairman and the club committee slimmed down to four members

Among the other decisions made were to up the club membership fee to £30 due to rising costs and to hold a second two-day test match in the run-up to the Super Test.

Full minutes of the meeting and the decisions made will be released in due course.

Club fixtures secretary Dan Sherman has revealed the Orange Caps will kick off the 2012 season with their debut in the London Premier League on April 28.

The Road have an away day in Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire, when they take on Corridors CC on April 28 a week after the club’s traditional intra-club pre-season warm-up match.

The following weekend is a double-header with The Road taking on Assures CC, formerly known as Westway, on the Saturday and then the Thespian Thunderers on the Sunday.

The Road’s champagne fixture, the two-day Super Test against the Battersea Badgers, will be the penultimate game of the season, held on September 1 and 2. It is the latest the match has ever been played.

And four more LPL matches will held as The Road hope to storm the league in their first season.

This year’s tour has already been announced with fixtures on Friday, July 13 and Sunday, July 15 on the Isle of Wight.

And the season will end, as it did last season, with a match against Ferring CC near Brighton.

Details of all our matches will be made available the club’s Calendar page in the coming days and members can subscribe to the Google Calendar by following instructions there.

Save those dates, because this season looks like it will be the biggest and best ever.

Born in the early hours of Saturday morning, Freddie Fagan is already being tipped to follow in his father’s footsteps and lead the team to glory.

And who could disagree. Pictured here resting on his proud dad’s chest, little Freddie’s already adopted the perfect bowling action.

In his last week as club captain before he hands over the reins, Giles said: “It gives me great pleasure to announce the arrival of the newest member of the King’s Road Cricket and Social Club’s youth training scheme.

“Weighing in at 7lb 10oz, at 3.23am on Saturday, February 11, 2012, Frederick (Freddie) George Alexander Fagan was born.”

Congratulations Imogiles from everyone at the club, we look all forward to meeting the little fella!

It’s Just Cricket rolls up the shutters at 10am on Saturday, February 25, in Westmoreland Road, Walworth, near Elephant and Castle.

The shop offers a full range of cricket gear including top names like Newbery, Gray-Nicolls , Gunn & Moore, Aero, Millichamp & Hall and Hunts County.

To see the full range online visit www.itsjustcricket.co.uk.

It also offers a personalised service by a cricketer we’ve played against – owner and Battersea Badger Paul Cole.

Purchases made at the shop and on the It’s Just Cricket website by King’s Roaders will also earn a commission for the club, and go towards keeping the cost of nets and matches down.

Members of The Road are invited to a celebratory drink to mark the opening at 6pm with Paul.

Anyone wanting to come should contact Raju Mazumder.

Both James Couldrey and Mark Isham handed in their election manifestos as voting takes place to find out who will replace Giles Fagan.

James, the current club chairman, said he wants to hire a backroom staff to sort out our technique.

While, all-rounder Mark said he wants to build on last season and develop the team as a whole.

Both James and Mark agree that post-match entertainments need to be encouraged.

Mark said: “Last season was an excellent one for The Road. As captain I would look to build on it.

“We have a broad mixture of skills in the team, and the important thing is that we play and develop as a team. The whole was shown to be greater than the sum of the parts often throughout 2011.

“There was some debate at the end of last season as to whether it was better to be a winning team, or to let everyone get a good game.

“I firmly believe that the two are not mutually exclusive, and we do not need to abandon our roots as a predominantly ‘social’ team in order to win games. Drinking after matches would be encouraged – and of course the beer tastes better after a convincing win.

“We have an excellent opportunity this season with our joining of the LPL, and it should be exciting. Whether you elect me or James I’m sure it will be an enjoyable one, and I’m thoroughly looking forward to the challenge.”

Left-hander James said: “Like England, I intend to hire an extensive back room staff so that when we collapse all out for 72 we’ll know exactly what went wrong.

“I’m able to see that although Eoin Morgan is a talented striker of the ball, he lacks a solid defensive technique and this may prevent him becoming a world class test batsman.

“This in-depth knowledge of cricket surely qualifies me to captain Kings Road.

“A vote for me shows that a left handed, number 11 from Hammersmith can make it in this world. It will give hope to bowlers of inconsonant accuracy everywhere. Yes we can.”

James added: “I want to enjoy my cricket, win as many matches as possible and have a pint afterwards.”

Members can vote by e-mailing current skip Giles Fagan. The ballot is secret and only the final result will be revealed.

The Road’s new captain will be named at the club AGM kicking off at 11.30am on February 18 at The Westbridge Draught House in Battersea Bridge Road, Battersea.

James Couldrey and beanpole all-rounder Mark Isham want to become the fourth player to  lead the side.

James is the serving club chairman who is a founder member of the club and Mark received his cap in 2010 after playing his first match at the end of the 2009 season.

It follows the resignation of 2011 skip Giles Fagan, who is stepping down to spend more time with his family.

Giles beat 2010 captain Matt Cocken, who followed the tinkerman Raju Mazumder‘s two-year stint, in last year’s captaincy vote.

Members will get a chance to have their say by e-mailing Giles here. The winner will be announced at the club AGM on February 18.

The new skip will then take on dad-to-be Giles, availability allowing, at the club’s annual inter-club pre-season warm-up match in April.

Today, tour manager Jamie Keating has revealed the full itinerary for the club’s visit to Queen Victoria’s favourite holiday hotspot.

The tour will kick off on Friday, July 13, when the King’s Road travel from South London to Southampton and board a ferry across the Solent.

On Friday afternoon the team will take on Shanklin CC in a 35 over match before a trip to the beach on Saturday, although there is the option to play an extra match.

On Sunday, The Road will play Ryde CC in 40 over match before heading off around 6pm.

Jamie said: “So far I have secured two games, plus an option for a third on the Saturday.

“The third game could be arranged if we have a lot of people touring, resulting in an unusually large majority only getting to experience playing in one game on tour.”

So far nine people have secured their place on the tour by paying a £25 deposit. More deposits are needed.

The players booked are Jamie, Richard Peralta, Leon Watson, Matt Cocken, David Hughes, Chris MacNichol, Dan Sherman, Kevin Pittaway and Chris Beckett.

Anyone wishing to book their place should e-mail Jamie Keating.

The kit will be made available to members before the season kicks off on April 28 after committee members sealed a deal with the Walworth-based store.

As part of the sponsorship, the club is now urging its players to buy gear from www.itsjustcricket.co.uk.

Any purchases made by club members will earn a loyalty bonus payable to the club if “King’s Road” is entered into the order form.

Cash earned from the scheme will help pay for hiring pitches, buying club kit and go towards keeping the cost of nets down.

Currently, It’s Just Cricket is operating online only but is set to open a store in Westmoreland Road, Walworth, soon.

The man behind it is Paul Cole, a Battersea Badger, who played for the Badgers against The Road last season.

His website offers a full range of cricket gear including well-known brands like Gray-Nicolls, Gunn & Moore, Nike, Kookaburra, Salix, Hunts County and Willostix.

So far only one candidate has put himself forward for the role – but more are expected before the vote takes place.

Anyone wishing to have their name on the ballot paper should contact club skip Giles Fagan.

The winner will be announced on February 18 when club members meet.

Last year, club members voted Giles in at The Draft House in Battersea after he polled more votes than 2010 skip Matt Cocken.

Voting for the captain’s role will be held in advance, but elections for all the other official club posts will take place on the day.

These include the chairman’s role, treasurer, fixtures secretary, website editor, social secretary and general dogsbody.

A venue for this year’s meeting has not been decided but members will be kept informed.

Meanwhile, nets will continue throughout January on Wednesdays at The Latchmere Centre, in Burns Road, Battersea (see below for map).

The memories that you have etched in our minds and bodies will, I am sure, bring on wee glows of warmth to our hearts for many years to come. But your time has been and gone… the wind is changing… Moveover! Stand aside, I say! And make room for what promises to be the Most Mighty of Years… 2012!

A new year for the Mighty Road can only mean one thing… we need a new captain. With the imminent arrival of Gilo Junior, our middle-aged Golden Oldie can no longer carry the mantle of skippering the side. We need a new Captain Fantastic! A new skipper for a New Year… indeed a new era!

Who would like to put themselves forward to lead the King’s Road Cricket and Social Club in 2012?

The captaincy is open to all members from last year and the successful candidates, having been thoroughly ‘scrutinised’ by the committee (all bribes accepted), will have a chance to write a manifesto and put their case forward to the club’s membership. Then we vote.

Therefore, if anyone would like to put themselves forward for the 2012 captain, please let me know by emailing gilesfagan@hotmail.com ASAP!

When all the candidates have been identified, we can begin the voting and the the new captain will be announced at the AGM, date to be set by our beloved chairman but sometime in February I should think.

Look forward to hearing from you soon.

Be good to those around you and yourselves…

And remember… KEEP ATTACKING!

Herr Capitan.