A NEW cricket season dawns today with a full programme of matches in the Darlington Building Society North Yorkshire and South Durham Premier League.

Rarely has there been such a feeling of anticipation around the clubs following an unprecedented winter of recruitment and player movement, and for the first time since the second professionals rule was introduced four years ago, every top flight club has registered their maximum allocation, resulting in a significant influx of players with first-class pedigrees.

Reigning champions Middlesbrough, bidding to make it a hat-trick of titles, are excited by the capture of highly rated Pakistan leg-spinner Yasir Shah, but he, like Durham’s Kyle Coetzer, will miss the opening skirmishes due to commitments for their respective national sides.

However, when they are at full strength, new signing Liam Botham’s presence will mean Boro can boast more than half a side with first-class experience.

After a poor 2007 Guisborough restored pride by claiming the runners-up spot last time out, and the arrival of the prolific Tariq Aziz should ensure they are in the frame again despite the loss of Chris Allinson and Josh Carroll to Marske.

Behind Boro, Great Ayton were the most successful team in 2008, picking up two of the four major trophies on offer, as well as finishing fourth in the table.

And they did so despite playing a quarter of the campaign without Pakistan Test player Riaz Afridi. The fact he is here from the start this time is a boost and their squad is bolstered by the arrival of Michael Croft and Neal Pearson.

There were a few nervous twitches from Hartlepool before they eventually finished just one place above relegated Redcar last time. However, the signings of ex-Durham player Marc Symington, a class act with bat and ball, and Janaka Gunaratne, a Sri Lanka A team man with over 4000 runs and 153 wickets to his name in 88 top level appearances, should ensure there are no worries this year.

Classy South African Warren Swan is back for Blackhall, and Neil Killeen is sure to terrorise NYSD line-ups on the occasions he is not required by Durham. The Colliers will be led by David Mole, who returns from Horden, and he will have newcomers Stuart Lobb and Farrukh Iqbal to call on. On the debit side Tony Booth has retired – and the club think he means it this time.

The news that Sri Lankan Sachith Pathirana had dislocated his shoulder came as a hammer blow to Normanby Hall, but they moved swiftly to plug the gap by signing Durham’s Paul Wiseman. The New Zealander, who has made 25 Test Match appearances, is joined at the Hall by ex- Durham colleague Gary Scott.

With the famous name of Botham gone, an equally famous name (in Northallerton at least) Jon Barnes, takes over the captaincy reins at Town. And he is buoyed by the return of the popular Indian Rashmi Parida, who is approaching 100 first-class appearances in his home country.

But it’s not all good news, with Jon Sample and Mark Cowell joining Easington.

Shani Dissanayake is back once more to spearhead an impressive Richmondshire outfit – the Sri Lankan is joined by a relatively unknown quantity in ex-Leicestershire second-teamer Ziafat Ashraf.

Former White Rose captain Matthew Brown returns from the NEPL, and with an excellent batch of youngsters the Dalesmen could ruffle a few feathers.

Elsewhere Marske have brought in former Durham second-teamer Neil Pratt, England Under 19 and Yorkshire Academy player Chris Allinson, and Josh Carroll.

Both Billingham and Bishop Auckland have retained their professionals for the new campaign, whilst Marton have added Yorkshire’s Lee Hodgson to their line-up, as well as talented youngster Jonny Spillane from Middlesbrough.

Another Yorkshire player, Simon Guy, should figure strongly for Darlington after overcoming a health scare earlier this year, and Doug Mulholland has received due recognition from the club for a magnificent 2008 by being allocated the second professional’s berth – or maybe he talked himself into the job!

Last season’s Norton skipper, left-arm spinner Peter Armstrong, is the key newcomer to Feethams.

Newly-promoted Thornaby expect to bring experienced Pakistani Khurram Shehzad to Mandale Bottoms. The 27- year-old hails from Faisalabad, is a right-handed bat, and in 40 first-class games boasts an average of around 40. Leigh Beaumont, the new English ‘pro’, earns reward for the wicket-taking exploits that lifted the club out of Division One.

And in Division One the promotion race is likely to be more fiercely contested than for a number of years, with Redcar, Saltburn, Stokesley, Seaton Carew and Barnard Castle expected to battle it out for a crack at the big time.