McLaren signs on for Lancs
CRICKET CHRIS OSTICK LANCASHIRE have signed Ryan McLaren as their overseas player for 2017.
The 33-year-old all-rounder - who has played two Tests, 54 one-day internationals and 12 T20 internationals – will be available for all three formats for the whole season.
The news comes just days after Lancashire announced the signing of Australian James Faulkner for the NatWest T20 Blast. Both players will can play in the competition.
McLaren has a vast amount of experience in county cricket, having played for Kent and Middlesex before spending last season at Hampshire, taking 32 wickets and scoring 832 runs in Division One of the Specsavers County Championship.
McLaren has also played in the Indian Premier League for the Kings XI Punjab, Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians - and just this week was drafted into the Pakistan Super League where he will be playing alongside West Indies star Chris Gayle and Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakkara at the Karachi Kings.
“I’m delighted to be joining up with Lancashire next year,” said McLaren. “It’s a big club and I can’t wait to start working with Ashley Giles and the squad at Emirates Old Trafford.
“I’m looking forward to being a part of the squad in all competitions and, hopefully, winning some silverware for the club.”
Head coach Giles has been keen to secure an overseas signing who will be available all season, having lost New Zealander Neil Wagner half-way through this year’s campaign because of international call-ups.
“We’re thrilled to bring Ryan into our squad for next year,” said Giles.
“He brings international experience to what is a relatively young, but extremely talented changing room.” ●● Josh Askew who scored a superb individual goal against Mossley with a 70 yard run RAMSBOTTOM UTD ....... 4 MOSSLEY .......................... 2 PAUL CROPPER
THERE are not many dull moments or poor matches to be had at the HWRS stadium at the moment.
If you want to see open enterprising and honest football that is the place to be so it was a bit of a disappointment that the attendance at this riveting match was only just over 200 (four of whom were from Texas).
The Rams deserve better than that (bigger crowds not less Texans) and the former stalwarts who, in no small numbers, have deserted the club over the last couple of seasons bearing any number of grudges and excuses, real or imaginary but certainly exaggerated, might think about burying their discontent and giving the team another go.
That is not to say that they will see a winning team every week because quite frankly the style of football the Rams are playing is high risk – it is 90 per cent intuitive and the other half is instinctive.
When it comes off it is wonderful to behold but there will be days when things do not quite click.
But if people do not want to follow the Rams nobody is going to stop them.
After the crushing disappointment of the loss of two points on Tuesday the game on Saturday was almost like deja vue all over again.
The Rams dominated the first half in terms of possession and territory but if anything their young keeper Charlie Albinson who was assured and calm in his handling and distribution throughout was the busier of the two keepers.
In fact Liam Flynn in the nets for the visitors did not have to touch the ball apart from taking goal kicks for the first 20 minutes and when the Rams took the lead on 39 minutes it was from only their second clear attempt on goal.
Gareth Seddon had seen a header cleared off the line but then made no mistake when put clear by a quick free kick from Grant Spencer neatly sliding the ball between the legs of the keeper.
The Rams were unchanged for the third consecutive match and it is clear that the managers now know what there best starting 11 is.
Consistency in selection is helping and the team awareness and interaction between various units in it is building game on game.
There are of course still improvements to be made – taking too many touches at the cost of avoidable offsides is one of them and the other is an inability to start the second half on the front foot.
For that reason the lead only lasted three minutes into the second period – Marty Burke’s snap shot from 25 yards flying past a startled Albinson.
On this occasion that setback roused the Rams and just three minutes later a neat one – two between Ryan Salmon and Seddon on the corner of the box sent the big striker clear.
From a narrow angle he could not quite clear Flynn’s dive at his feet.
The ball though spun out and back to Seddon who turned smartly and sent a shot swerving into the roof of the net.
Closing a game down is not within the Rams’ skill set and the next 20 minutes saw nip and tuck football with Mossley having the better of it until with 20 minutes left Josh Askew, as good a left back as there has been for the Rams in quite some years produced what should have been the defining ●● Matt Atherton on the attack against Mossley moment of the match – and was certainly the best moment.
Quick into the tackle he won possession deep in his own half and with the Mossley midfield and full back committed forward