Rochdale’s pro pain as season starts

ROCHDALE may have suffered a blow before the start of the JW Lees Pennine Cricket League season.

Intended professional Henry Cooper is still waiting for his Visa, and Pennine officials have told the club that they cannot sign a deputy for Sunday’s opener against Stayley at Redbrook.

Deputies are allowed if a professional is called up to play for his country or is ill or injured, but admin situations are not included in replacement rules.

Rochdale had initially hoped to sign Cody Chitty who plays for Sunfoil Dolphins in South Africa.

But it seems Chitty did not attend two short courses when with Lisburn (Northern Ireland) last year, and because of this the ECB will not accept his registration.

On learning this Rochdale quickly moved to find a replacement and came up with Henry Ross Cooper, an opening batsman and off-spin bowler who plays for Northern Districts in New Zealand.

Cooper was with Broadoak in the Huddersfield League in 2015.

But Cooper is still waiting for Visa clearance which is expected any time but not in time for him to be here for the opener.

Missing from the Rochdale team this season will be longserving John Henderson who has retired as a player after many years of sterling service to the club. His replacement as first team captain is spinner Dale Highton who has been joined in the spin department by former Norden player Ollie Makin.

Another newcomer to Redbrook will be all-rounder Ben Chapman who was with Monton and Weaste last season, but Tom Avery has moved on to Saddleworth.

Talking of moving on, it has been almost Exodus at Hare Hill with seven of last season’s first team squad gone.

The Littleborough leavers have been professional Serasinghe, overseas amateur Michael McKeough, Phil Deakin, Michael Burns, Matthew Taylor, Matthew Hodson and Joe Smith-Butler.

New professional will be Ryan Burl who plays for Mashonoland Eagles and has represented Zimbabwe A. He is a left-handed batsman and leg-breaks bowler. New overseas man is Ryan Knight, and a newcomer is Hamza Hussein.

Norden have a new professional in Naveed Zamurad who made his debut with a hard-hitting 60 in a friendly against St Annes last weekend, and 40 – half the Norden total – in a friendly at Bootle tomorrow.

Opening batsman Josh Tolley has joined the club from Crompton, and all-rounder Greg Butterworth has signed from Bootle.

The other newcomer is Jamie Pilling, previously with Ramsbottom, but he could be out of action for a couple of weeks at least after suffering a hamstring injury in the game against St Annes.

Hashum Malik has taken over as skipper from Simon North who will not be available for parts of the season due to work commitments.

North missed last weekend’s matches, but he is available for selection for Sunday when Stags – double winners in 2014 and 2015 - entertain Walsden who were double winners last season.

Walsden will be without injured professional Umesh Karunaratne. Deputy will be Lancashire’s Aaron Lilley.

Milnrow will begin their championship season at Micklehurst with Saeed Anwar junior as paid man.

Anwar has been a top player with several clubs, and his signing could prove a brilliant move by Milnrow who will be without Max Power who has moved on to Heyside.

Greenfield v Crompton; Heyside v Saddleworth; Littleborough v Glodwick; Monton and Weaste v Austerlands; Norden v Walsden; Rochdale v Stayley.

Hollinwood v Werneth; Micklehurst v Milnrow; Middleton v Ashton; Moorside v Uppermill; Oldham v Friarmere; Royton v Shaw.

GREENFIELD will hold a meeting on 3 May to recommend to their members the club leave the Pennine League and join the GMCL for the 2018 season.