Middlesex player to play for Woolston

Press, 23 September 1988, Page 48

Middlesex player to play for Woolston

By

GARY BIRKETT

A Middlesex county second XI cricketer, Jerry Brambles, will play for Woolston W.M.C. in the Christchurch senior club competition this season. Woolston announced yesterday that Brambles, a regular in the English county’s second XI, will join the club next week in time for the start of the club season next Saturday. A left hand batsman and right arm medium pace bowler, Brambles has had a job and accommodation arranged by the club. A club spokesman, Mike Dolden, said Brambles, who is in his early, twenties, was also an assistant coach at the Harringey Cricket College in London. He had no statistics on Brambles but is confident he will make a favourable impression in Christchurch.

Woolston, which finished last in the senior grade last season, had earlier tried to engage a professional from Northants but the deal fell through. “We are delighted to be able to get Jerry at reasonably short notice,” said Mr Dolden. Another English professional, Dexter Fitton, who played for Sydenham last season, is not returning to Christchurch, preferring to stay in Lancashire. Meanwhile, the champion New Zealand fast bowler, Richard Hadlee, could be bowling against second grade club cricketers when the club season opens in Christchurch. Hadlee, who plays for High School Old Boys, is available for the first day of the first round of senior club play next Saturday but unavailable for

the second day. He said club officials had not yet decided if he would play in the senior grade for one day and then bring in a fresh player for the second day. He said he might be available for the full second round. High School Old Boys meets the defending champion, St Albans, in the first round. Hadlee is keen to get out and "roll the arm over” before leaving for India with the New Zealand team on October 23. If a senior place is not available he could turn out for the second grade team or even in the lower grade such as presidents. Hadlee said he was feeling fit and ready for the tour of India, with no signs of the calf muscle injury which ruined his test series against England last summer.