Simon set to Beare weight of pressure on champions Workington
Last updated 11:38, Wednesday, 16 April 2008
CHAMPS Workington will begin the defence of their North Lancs and Cumbria Premier Division title at Millom on Saturday in confident mood after re-signing Kiwi pro Simon Beare for his fourth season with the club.
Beare played a big part in Workington’s Higson Cup success in 2005 and in their title-winning campaign in 2007, when he averaged 48.5 with the bat.
Cockermouth, pipped for the title by just two points last season, have replaced long-serving Pakistan ace Riffat Ullah with Sri Lankan Chamila Gamage, a 29-year-old all-rounder who has played Test cricket and one day internationals for his country.
In two Tests he took five wickets and scored 158 runs and in seven one-day internationals he captured eight wickets and scored 254 runs. In all his 83 first class games he has 341 wickets and scored 1,454 runs.
Cleator, third last year, have retained Paul Duffet who started a second spell as their professional in 2007 when he averaged just under 49, scoring 681 runs.
The Aussie, who is one of only four batsmen to score a double century in the North Lancs League, will be hoping for firmer tracks on which to ply his trade than last year.
League secretary Colin Bickerstaffe believes last season’s top three will again figure prominently.
“They will all be there-or-thereabouts,” he said. “It will also be interesting to see how Penrith perform this time.
“The last time they came up they went straight back down, and I hope that doesn’t happen this time.
“I’m a bit disappointed that there aren’t more professionals knocking around. They increase the quality of the cricket, and if good coaches, also bring on second-team youngsters.”
Penrith, last season’s First Division champs, are sticking with Sri Lankan Upul Fernando as their pro for his fourth season with the club.
Last season he scored 484 runs averaging 44. And he will be hoping to succeed with bat and ball in 2008 as Penrith try to establish themselves at Premier level.
Carlisle have re-signed pro Usman Saeed. The 26-year-old Pakistani took 36 wickets last season, costing just less than 12 each, and scored 590 runs averaging over 45. He will hope for pitches with more bounce than last season when too much rain gave him soft and slow surfaces to bowl on.
Whitehaven’s new pro is 22-year-old all-rounder Jeewantha Saliyasanan, who has played Under-19 Test cricket for Sri Lanka.
They had expected to sign Faiz Fazal, but his domestic club at home in India refused to release him.
Haverigg have re-signed Sridharan Sriram, fresh from a successful season in the new Indian Premier League.
He has played eight one-day internationals for India. A left hand bat and spinner, he scored 806 league runs in 2007, averaging just under 54, and took 54 wickets at less than 12 runs each.
In his first class career of 115 matches, Sridharan has scored 8,703 runs, averaging 56, and taken 82 wickets.
South African Nathan Murray, who plays for Western Province, has joined Millom. In 11 first class matches the 24-year-old has scored 822 runs averaging 31, and taken 30 wickets costing 27 each, with a best return of 5 for 29.
Dalton have signed South African youngster Willem van Zyl, who plays for Free State in first class cricket. In his first five first class matches, bowling slow left arm, he has taken seven wickets, at this early stage of his career.
Appleby Eden are hoping to sign a pro to replace Luke Wimbridge.
Furness have retained Majeed Jehangir. In 2007 he scored 956 league runs averaging just over 56. The games lost to rain probably prevented him reaching the 1,000-run milestone.
Lindal Moor are hoping to re-sign Swapnith Hazare, their pro from 2006, who took 48 league wickets that season.
Division Two clubs not signing pros are Wigton, Lanercost, Egremont, Vickerstown, Ulverston, Kirkby and BAE (Barrow) SC.
Meanwhile, the Umpires Federation is looking for new blood. Training courses are run during the winter and any new members would stand with experienced umpires during their initial appointments.
SATURDAY’S FIXTURES
Premier Division
Carlisle v Furness, Cleator v Whitehaven, Dalton v Duddon SC, Haverigg v Keswick, Millom v Workington, Penrith v Cockermouth
Division One
Appleby Eden v Cleator Seconds, Hawcoat Park C v Egremont, Keswick Seconds v Kirkby, Vickerstown v Lindal Moor, Wigton v Lanercost, Workington Seconds v Ulverston
Division Three
Duddon SC v Dalton, Furness v Hawcoat Park, Lindal Moor v Vickerstown, Seascale v Millom, Ulverston v Haverigg, Whitehaven v Windscale
