Skipton will be hoping that their new Kiwi signing is as successful as Duncan Brown has been for their Sandylands neighbours when they launch their Airedale & Wharfedale League Section B programme against Ilkley at home tomorrow.

Brown was a model rugby player and if Will Deerness, a 24-year-old from Wanganui on the North Island comes anywhere near him in playing terms, then Skipton CC will be well pleased.

"Will joins us as an all-rounder, who will bat at No 4 and open the bowling for us," says captain Geoff Fryers. "He's an amiable lad who I am confident will do well once he settles in. The standard he plays at is judged to be about Minor Counties level, but perhaps a more realistic guide is that he plays in the same competition as last season's overseas player, Darren Grant.

Grant finished the season as Skipton's top batsmen with 440 at an average of 24.44 and even if Deerness can improve on that statistic and do better with the ball, he will need better support from his team-mates if Skipton are to make an impact on the second section.

"I think he was probably trying too hard in our warm-up game against a strong Chorley side last weekend, but I'm sure he can do a job for us," says Fryers. "One of the plusses from that game was the fact that Stephen Carling hit an unbeaten 50 and looked very good.

"I've also been impressed with the work of teenager Charles Baxter, who will captain our Under 18 side this season. My ambition is for us to hold our own and be competitive this season.

"Apart from Andrew Strickland, who is taking a gap year trip to Australia, we are pretty much as before and hopefully all the lads who joined us last season will be wiser and better for that experience."

Another positive piece of news from Sandylands is that the wicket looks as though it will survive the attack by a vandal who poured weed-killer across it.

Steeton had to work hard at the close of last season to steer clear of the drop from Section A and they are keen to avoid a repeat of that process. They have Australian Grant Lindsay, who scored 749 runs and took 43 wickets last season, returning for another season, while the re-appearance of Neil Spragg, who had a spell with Baildon in the Bradford League, is a major boost for the club.

Chris Taylor has joined from Addingham and Colin Stead is back from Wharfedale, leaving skipper Alex Howarth with more resources at his disposal as another season opens with a visit to Beckwithshaw.

Upper Wharfedale also have a guest player from Australia to boost their promotion bid in Section C.

Steve Busbridge is a 23-year-old Grade A player from Northern Districts in Adelaide. He is a former Australia Under 19 player and will open the bowling at Wood Lane. He will also be pulling pints at the Foresters, who developing an empathy with the local sporting fraternity should be a speedy and enjoyable process.

He arrives in the Dale as a result of a winter tour to Adelaide and Melbourne in which a party of 20 players and supporters played five matches in three weeks. While the trip did not produce any victories, skipper John Slater confirms one of their unforgettable sporting experiences which seriously tax the memory.

"We played games against sides involving last year's guest player Tarkin Brown and Justin Graham, who was with us before that," says Slater. "I would expect Steve to be round about the same standard as Tarkin and I'll be well pleased if that proves to be the case."

While Colin Stead has decided to try his hand with Steeton this season, Wharfedale still show a credit balance in terms of player movement. Graham Grinstead, an all-rounder, has moved into the area and joins the club from Hunslet Nelson in the Central Yorkshire League, while another newcomer is Tim Larmour, also an all-rounder, who has previously played with Dringhouses in the York Senior League.

Adding to the growing ranks of junior players at the club is Andrew Foulds, who has joined the club from Gargrave.

"Our ambition is to get promotion this season, but we will probably have a better idea of the challenge facing us after our opening couple of games," says Slater. "We start with a home match against Woodhouse, who were relegated last season, and then go to Harden, who finished third in our section, next week."

Silsden launch their Division B challenge with a home game against Tong Park. The situation at Keighley Road is very much the mixture as before, although there are a couple of changes. Peter Hanson and Tom Hodgson are both now at university and will not be available initially, but on the credit side, Lee Bilbrough, a wicket-keeper batsman from Haworth, has joined the club.

Also returning to action after a two-year lay-off because of working commitments is Andrew Waggett. Jon Akrigg continues as captain.