Ribblesdale League: It's Back to future for Aussie Ronnie (21 April 1999)

21 April 1999

Ribblesdale League: It's Back to future for Aussie Ronnie

The Lancashire Evening Telegraph

Ronnie Davis has big ambitions for Baxenden, firmly believing the Jennings Ribblesdale League club can climb out of the doldrums this summer.

The Australian has returned to the professional ranks at Back Lane after a season playing as an amateur for Little Lever in the Bolton League.

And, despite a losing start at Great Harwood on Saturday, Davis has his sights set on helping mount a 'Bash' revival.

Second bottom for the past two summers, Baxenden have experience in their ranks and that certainly applies to their professional who had three years as paid man with Chorley before enjoying last season as an amateur.

Now resident in this country, Davis should be able to put his knowledge of English league cricket to good use and he made a reasonable start; his medium-fast bowling claiming 4-37 as Harwood were restricted to 155-7 at The Cliffe.

"We started off quite well and, while they got a reasonable score, we thought we could reach it," he said.

"Personally, I wasn't all that happy with my own performance. I tried too hard in my first spell.

"The second spell was better but the wicket was too soft really to bang the ball in.

"We were still in a good position but lost a couple of quick wickets and, to be fair to them, they bowled very well."

Baxenden were restricted to 133-7 in reply but Davis sees brighter times ahead and the possibility of putting recent struggles behind them. "I get on well with the lads, everybody is buzzing and we have been training well," he said.

"We thought we should have won on Saturday and I think we should be up there in the top three this season. I think we are good enough to do that."

Davis picked up 64 wickets at a cost of 17.59 apiece for Little Lever in the Bolton League last year, and has also played in the Bolton Association with Little Hulton, as well his Northern League stint for Chorley.

But the Ribblesdale League is a new venture for him and it's a two-way learning experience for both the professional and his Baxenden team-mates.

"I am pretty experienced in English conditions, so that's not a problem," he said.

"But this is a new club and a new league for me. They haven't seen me and I haven't seen them."

After keeping himself fit playing Rugby Union for Leigh during the winter, Davis is ready to have a real bash at putting Baxenden - champions as recently as 1993 - back in the top bracket.

Source :: Lancashire Evening Telegraph (https://www.reednews.co.uk/let/)