Clubs turning to home help

SHAW new-boy Warrick Fynn.

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Saddleworth and District Cricket League

TEAM plans are slowly falling into place for the 2009 Armstrongs Office Furniture Saddleworth and District Cricket League season.

Club officials are working feverishly as they try to tie up deals to bring in players from abroad and pick up home-grown talent.

Some are proving successful, while others are battling their way through new regulations governing professionals and overseas amateurs.

One way to avoid Home Office red tape is to sign a player from England as pro.

BAMFORD FIELDHOUSE, the reigning champions, have done just that.

Lancashire left-arm spinner Stephen Parry (22) has replaced Naved Arif Gondal at Hollin Lane, and he is joined by former county team-mate Simon Marshall, who played at every junior level for England and captained Cambridge University.

Wicketkeeper Jason Maher, the former Oldham captain, has also made the move to Bamford, while Lincoln Roberts is expected to come back as overseas amateur.

But there is uncertainty as to whether Andy Smith-Butler will start the season.

The bowler, who was injured in the Tanner Cup final defeat by Heyside, is recovering from a cruciate knee ligament operation.

MOORSIDE have also avoided tiresome paper work by acquiring the services of JP Lee as their paid man.

Born in South Africa but qualified for England, the left-arm quick bowler and top order batsman spent 2006 as Werneth’s overseas amateur, which was sandwiched between spells at Sale in the Cheshire County League.

He has superseded Alan Durose and will play under Francis Sutherland. Slow bowler Lee Tracey has returned to the club after a year out.

Richard Harrington will lead SHAW next season and he will look to new pro Warrick Fynn (23) to help lift his side’s fortunes.

The South African all-rounder, who has made eight appearances for Eastern Province, has spent the last two summers in this country.

He won the Shropshire Premier League with Oswestry CC in 2007, before going on to score three hundreds in his first five matches for the club in the Birmingham League.

John Winterbottom has kept hold of the reins at HOLLINWOOD, and they are set to welcome back Aamir Bashir for his eighth campaign at Lime Lane.

Bashir was never seen at his best last year — he was recovering from a serious illness — but is now fully fit and scoring runs in Pakistan.

Imran Aslam, who came agonisingly close to claiming 100 wickets in 2008, is poised to take up a second term at GLODWICK.

The Warren Lane outfit have received their sponsor licence from the UK Borders Agency — clubs must fork out £420 for a licence which allows them to sign a player from overseas — and they can now put the wheels in motion to register the Pakistani all-rounder.

“The process hasn’t been pain-free, but we are getting there,” said Glodwick secretary Neil Cadd.

Nigel Stock is in charge of first-team affairs, and he will be able to call upon Mark Whitehead, who has been in Nottingham for two years after a previous spell at Moorside.

UPPERMILL will be hoping for more of the same from Zeeshan Khan, who enjoyed a terrific first campaign at Leefields.

The classy overseas amateur accumulated 1,000 runs as Matt Taylor’s team qualified for the LCB Cup and reached the semi-finals of the Twenty20 Cup.

HEYSIDE will have high expectations of Roelof Hugo, the outstanding pro in 2008 and ready for his third season at Little Hey Street.

As well as a superb batsman, the South African is terrific behind the stumps and an inspiration to Mark Barnes’ boys.

GREENFIELD are hopeful of signing an overseas amateur sometime soon, according to captain Jonathan Ainley.

Mark Lees has returned to Ladhill Lane after a year at Saddleworth, while off-spinner Liam Richards, a former junior at Werneth, has made the switch from Unsworth in the CLL to boost Ainley’s options with the ball.

Rehan Rafiq was a hit at STAYLEY in 2008 — he averaged more than 70 with the bat — and the Millbrook outfit are looking forward to seeing the popular Pakistani again.

It’s as you were at SADDLEWORTH, with Peter Skuse continuing in the dual role of skipper and pro.

AUSTERLANDS, FRIARMERE and DROYLSDEN are still weighing up their options with regard to players from abroad.

With Kevin Du Feu at the helm again, Austerlands are on the look out for a new pro and overseas amateur as neither Donwell Hector nor Pubudu Seneviratne are coming back to the club.

Friarmere are in the same situation as they have severed their ties with West Indian paid man Liam Sebastien.



Cricket sessions

OLDHAM Cricket Club are having their indoor training sessions at The Millennium Centre, Featherstall Road, on Sunday afternoons 3-4pm for juniors and 4-5pm for seniors.

All players, old and new, are welcome and the cost is £3 per session.

More details from John on 07786 100155.