Lancashire League: Yates in as sub (16 July 1999)

16 July 1999

Lancashire League: Yates in as sub

The Lancashire Evening Telegraph

Lancashire spinner Gary Yates has been drafted in as sub-professional for Rawtenstall's re-arranged game with Ramsbottom at Acre Bottom tomorrow.

Yates replaces South African run-machine Lloyd Ferreira who won't play in the EW Cartons Lancashire League again this season after returning home for surgery on an elbow injury.

Rawtenstall skipper Keith Roscoe admits the early departure of Ferreira, who has scored 439 runs this summer, sent shockwaves through the Bacup Road club.

But he's hoping Yates will prove a more than able deputy, especially if he can produce the kind of form which saw him claim 5-54 in Lancashire's defeat against Sri Lanka A last weekend.

"We've had the stuffing knocked out of us with Lloyd having to go back home," said Roscoe.

"We had a really bad time of it last weekend when we were skittled for just 70 against Colne.

"And then we only made 106 batting first against Church on the Sunday.

"But Gary is in great form after his performance in the Sri Lanka game and we are hoping he will score a few runs for us and take a few wickets.

"Our batsmen are lacking a bit of confidence at the moment.

"It just needs one or two of them to get a couple of scores and everything will be all right again."

Ramsbottom have found life hard themselves in the Lancashire League this season.

They lost both their matches against Lowerhouse and Enfield last weekend and Roscoe can see certain similarities between their current plight and that of his own club. "Ramsbottom appear to be in the same boat as us at the moment.

"Batting wise, they scored over 300 to beat Todmorden three weeks ago but they've had a couple of low scores themselves since then.

"So it looks like it might be a bowler's day."

Roscoe, himself, will be missing from the Rawtenstall attack tomorrow because he's attending his sister's wedding.

But he'll be back on Sunday for another basement battle against Burnley when former Enfield professional and West Indian Test star Ottis Gibson will deputise for Ferreira.

Roscoe's 17-year-old son, Mark, is also pencilled in to make his Rawtenstall debut as a couple of players are currently away on holiday.

And Roscoe senior is relishing the prospect of father and son appearing on the same team.

A total of six Lancashire League games are being re-played tomorrow after the original matches were washed out on May 8.

Tomorrow's fixtures: Bacup v Haslingden, Burnley v East Lancs, Nelson v Accrington, Ramsbottom v Rawtenstall, Rishton v Lowerhouse, and Todmorden v Church.

Source :: The Lancashire Evening Telegraph