Dukes North-East Premier League preview

THE tenth anniversary season of the North-East Premier League begins tomorrow and for the Teesside clubs, Stockton and Norton, it has been a frustrating build up with plans disrupted by significant player movement.

For Stockton the news that star man Richard Waite had decided to join Chester-le- Street was a body blow, but since then there have been some useful acquisitions.

Sri Lankan batsman/offspinner Malintha Gajanayake has significant first-class experience, and with the signing of Durham’s Karl Turner the club appear to have been astute in gaining good quality players who should be available regularly.

Other arrivals include outstanding youngsters Jon Rickard from Norton and John Watson from Sunderland.

Harry Anderson, a wicket- keeper from Scarborough, is another new face for fledgling skipper Chris Hooker.

Norton will go into the campaign without an overseas or Durham player, a conscious policy decision, but to compound matters they have been hit by an exodus of players, headed by last year’s captain Peter Armstrong who has moved to Darlington.

With Marc Symington taking a professional role at Hartlepool, Peter Howells returning to Blaydon, Phil Holdsworth moving to Bishop Auckland, Matthew Brown joining Richmondshire, as well as Rickard’s move to the old enemy, new skipper Dave Kennedy looks to have his work cut out to motivate the troops. Former Stockton keeper Dean Williams is the sole recruit.

The kings of NEPL cricket, South Northumberland, are virtually unchanged yet again – leg spinner Bilal Ahmed the only new man, while Nicky Peng, who only played on occasions in 2008, won’t play this time.

One club to have set their stall out to try and topple the mighty South North machine are Chester-le-Street. Andrew Tye, the Western Australian, returns after missing last year, the brilliant former Academy youngster Andrew Smith has joined, as has Alan Mustard from Sunderland, and three-time league player of the year Richard Waite.

The Cestrians’ Durham player is Luke Evans.

Changes have been rung at Ashbrooke – Imran Shah takes over as Sunderland skipper and Durham’s Paul Hindmarch has replaced Gary Scott.

And while Mustard and Watson have also left, their places have been taken by the Newcastle City duo, Palav Kumar and Jaspreet Singh.

The overseas berth is occupied by Rameez Shahzad. The Lahore-born youngster (21) is a right-handed bat and bowls off-breaks and has first-class experience with the United Arab Emirates.

South Shields enjoyed an outstanding 2008 when they finished runners-up, and have moved to make home youngster Paul Muchall their Durham signing. Australian all-rounder Adam Coyte and Nicky Quinn from Marsden are the new arrivals, although Jonny Wightman has returned to the DSL.

Gateshead Fell have brought exciting young Sri Lankan Geeth Alwis to the club, and Will Gidman will be their Durham man. Graeme Bridge skippers Blaydon and has experienced South African Craig Knox to lean on.

Howells has returned and Martin Pollard has joined from Benwell Hill.

Tynemouth have the exciting Scott Borthwick as their Durham player and the club are working to try and bring in a South African opening bowler. However, Barry Stewart will be a miss, having been engaged by Tynedale, and Matthew Summers has moved to Cambridgeshire.

Newcastle have lost Rob Fahrenheim and Lewis Bruce, the pair moving south, but Mark Cryer and Alan Robson have come in from Backworth.

Their overseas coach will be Anirudh Singh, although he won’t arrive in time for the opening game.

Benwell Hill hope for great things from Pakistani firstclasser Zohaib Khan, a righthand bat and slow left armer, and also welcome David Rutherford (Philadelphia) and Richard Coughtrie (Academy).

The Durham Academy have a fresh intake of promising cricketers from around the region in what will be one of their youngest squads on record.