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Milnrow an unknown quantity with quality

26/ 4/2008

PREDICTING Milnrow’s fortunes is a tough call, for the Harbour Lane outfit come into the campaign as something of an unknown quantity.

The close season has seen wholesale changes, half of last season’s first team no longer at the club. Gone are Jon Storey and Dan Pawson having departed for Heywood. Rob Whitemoss took off for Littleborough, Andy Butler has decided not to play, and Max Power will turn out for Bamford Fieldhouse.

Karl Brown, so impressive last season as professional, remains and he will be joined by Vishal Tripathi, his team-mate from Lancashire’s second team. An opening batsman with bags of potential, Tripathi already has a century to his name with the county’s second string this season.

He is one of several new faces likely to feature in the side for tomorrow’s meeting with Royton at Ladyhouse.

Another player from the Lancashire second team, Michael Baer, is at Loughborough University and will be available later in the summer. A left-arm spinner, he lives in Preston and played junior cricket with St Annes.

Two players new to the area are set for debut. All-rounder Nadeem Ahmed played for Aston in the Birmingham Premier League, while Mark Fraser is an opening bowler from Leicestershire who has just moved to Newhey.

Wicketkeeper John Hazell, a university friend of Milnrow youngster Ben Brooks, will be available until the start of June, while David Bebb, who came in from Norden over the winter months, will provide stiff competition behind the stumps.

Stephen John is due to arrive as overseas amateur any day now, though he will not be registered in time for this weekend’s opener. John caught the eye as professional at Heywood three years ago.

With a totally new side taking the field tomorrow, chairman Eric Brooks said it was a case of wait an see.

"There looks to be a lot of talent in the team so we should do well," he said. "Stephen John is a class act and while his career may be winding down, he is still a very good player."