Foster's ECB North-East Regional Premier League: South Northumberland are confident they can mount a successful challenge for the championship without engaging a Durham County player.

Rules allow for a couple of players to be signed but South North have waived this right and instead will rely on local players and one from overseas.

"We thought long and hard about it, but feel we can achieve our objective with the squad we have especially as it has been strengthened by the signing of Lee Crozier from Benwell Hill," enthused captain John Graham.

"Lee took 41 wickets with his right-arm spinners last season and will play a vital role along with another spinner Richard Brock, who picked up 43 victims last time."

South North's overseas player is Reon King but he has been signed by Durham County to replace the currently unavailable Shoaib Akhtar and Franklin Rose will deputise.

Stockton were the most improved side in the league last season and had University student Mattie Creese played a full term they may pushed South North for the title.

But Creese has returned to his southern home and another absentee is Philip Walker, who has moved to Marske.

Alex Roberts and Liam Plunkett are the two Durham contracted players and Stockton hope that one of them will be available on a regular basis. Alan Walker again leads the side.

Norton are strengthened by the return from Peterlee of Nicky Beall and Keith Hewson and the pair should add stability to the batting line-up which will again feature the Symington brothers Craig and Marc.

Kenny Gresham has relinquished the captaincy and Marc Symington takes over as Norton attempt to improve on their third-from-bottom position.

Chester le Street have signed former Durham County player Ian Hunter.

Another batsman, Cameron Harris, has moved into the area and joined the club as has strike bowler Joe Dodd who took 52 wickets for Murton last summer. Graeme Bridge and Gareth Breeze have been allocated by the County.

Philadelphia captain Lee Beaumont, the former Middlesbrough player, has high hopes for his team following the signing of three players.

Simon Hollinsworth and Ed Crowther are at Durham University and the former recently played against Durham County at the Riverside.

On the bowling front, a big boost is the availability of Glen Reid for a full summer. He is also at Durham University and proved a big hit with his left-arm pace but he was only able to play a handful of games in 2003.

He will probably open the attack with Fernix Thomas who arrived on Tuesday from the Windward Islands where he opens the attack with Cameron Cuffy.

Blaydon are hoping for another good season from West Indian left arm spinner Neil McGarrell. In his first year he topped the averages with 60 wickets at just 11 apiece.

Toby Whitmore, who last season played for Scarborough and has also figured in the Minor Counties, is the only new player to join and he will share the gloves with David Sherrington.

A disappointment to Benwell Hill is the decision of ace spinner Lee Crozier to move to South North. The Hill again have Shahid Nazir, prominent when they won the league two years ago and last season when he took 54 victims.

David Myers, a left-hand opening batsman at Durham University and Graham Race from Chester le Street have signed, but their most significant 'signing' is captain Phil Nicholson.

He hardly played last year after breaking a leg in a freak pre-match warm-up but is now fully fit hoping to improve his team's disappointing 2003 season when they ended fourth bottom a year after clinching the championship.

Aussie Lindsay Cullen, a left-hander from Perth is the overseas player at Newcastle.

Tynemouth have just one new player in 19-year old Australian Cameron Armstrong, an all-rounder but Chris Beever is expected to quit the Premier League.

Gateshead Fell will miss opener Marcus North in the early stages of the season as he is deputising for Herschelle Gibbs at the Riverside.

Nicky Phillips has, however, gone in the opposite direction. Released by the County at the end of last season, the spinner has decided on a permament move into the Premier League following a taste with Philadelphia last summer.

Stuart Walker has also joined the Fell from Durham Academy. The slow bowler will complement Phillips. Graeme Cessford, formerly with Tynedale, is fully fit but Mark Smith has joined Shotley Bridge.

Sunderland have engaged Marlow Black from Trinidad as their overseas player to replace Rose.

Ironcially, Rose, who was at Ashbrooke for three seasons, will line up against his former colleagues when he plays as a stand-in for Reon King at South North in the opener on Saturday.

Robin Weston, formerly with Durham, Derbyshire and Middlesex has linked-up with Sunderland with Gary Scott and Andrew Pratt their Durham contracted players.