Carlisle re-sign pro Saeed
Last updated 09:02, Thursday, 24 April 2008
CARLISLE have re-signed pro Usman Saeed for the new North Lancs and Cumbria Premier Division season which they launch tomorrow with the visit of Furness.
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.
Keswick have re-signed Dinuka Hettiarachchi, a right hand bat and slow left hand spinner. The Sri Lankan headed the Premier Division bowling averages last term with 45 wickets costing just over nine runs apiece.
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.
Champs Workington will begin the defence of their title at Millom 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. Cleator, third last year, have retained Aussie Paul Duffet who started a second spell as their professional in 2007 when he averaged just under 49, scoring 681 runs.
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.”
Promoted Whitehaven’s new pro is 22-year-old all-rounder Jeewantha Saliyasanan, who has played Under-19 Test cricket for Sri Lanka.
Haverigg have re-signed Sridharan Sriram. South African Nathan Murray, who plays for Western Province, has joined Millom, while Dalton have signed South African youngster Willem van Zyl. Furness have retained Majeed Jehangir.
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
