Fresh recruits provide hope

CRICKET:

CROMPTON CC

IT’S a case of the only way is up for Crompton this summer.

Reluctant recipients of the wooden spoon last season when they had no overseas amateur and an underachieving professional in Matthew Needham, Crompton have been busy recruiting new personnel.

In comes Pakistan paid man Sida Hussain (34), who arrives on the recommendation of the club’s former paid man Mohammed Zaman Khan.

The Wythenshawe-based player had a successful season in one of the Scottish leagues last season and is an opening batsman and off spinner.

Fellow Pakistani Sami Ullah is the club’s overseas amateur — again following Zaman Khan’s advice — and the opening bowler is likely to prove a handful with his above-average pace.

Opening batsman Mohammed Naveed, who made 493 runs for Ashton last season, is a third recruit, while batsman Darren Lee returns to the club following a season away with work commitments.

Carl Taylor remains as captain, while other familiar faces at Glebe Street include his brother Danny, Stephen Wright and young all-rounder Aqib Zulfiqar, who will open the bowling and bat three behind openers Naveed and Hussain.

Skipper Taylor was a man under pressure last summer, frequently having to open the bowling and sometimes the batting, as well as directing operations in the field.

But he is likely to receive much more back-up in 2011 and said: “I am hoping that I will have the time to be a better captain and that the side can enjoy a good season,” he said.

“It would be good if were to finish mid-table, beating a few of the big teams and, hopefully, winning one or two of the derby matches.

“We have a first-round Wood Cup-tie at Littleborough, but if we can get past them, who knows?”