Hawken signs up for Kendal
Pictured: Eldred Hawken signs on for Kendal
Kendal Cricket Club captain Chris Miller believes his side will have one of the strongest bowling attacks in the Northern League after signing South African paceman Eldred Hawken as professional.
The Shap Road club have decided to shift their emphasis from batting to bowling this season and the signature of the promising 25-year-old confirms they will be going all out to take wickets.
Hawken, who opens the bowling for Northerns in his native South Africa, will make up a four-pronged attack at Kendal which also includes fellow new recruit Saeed Bariwala from Preston - the leading amateur wicket taker in the Northern League last season.
The pair will be backed up by Stuart Parkin and Miller who has regained the captaincy after taking a back seat last year.
"I think we will have one of the strongest, if not the strongest, bowling attacks in the league this season," said Miller who confirmed Hawken is due to arrive in Cumbria next week. "We have had batting professionals for the last few seasons but this year we decided to shift our attentions to bowling and we are delighted to have signed both Eldred and Saeed."
Hawken, a right arm fast bowler, opens the Northerns attack with JP de Villiers who was professional at Fleetwood last season.
While it is his first overseas stint, Miller is hoping he settles in quickly - and gets used to the Cumbrian climate.
"I don't know too much about Eldred but he comes with a good reputation," added Miller. "This is first role as an overseas professional so we'll be hoping he settles in quickly and gets used to the weather."
Miller said Kendal have used the Blackpool model as they look to improve their league form from last season and also make inroads in the cup competitions.
"We have seen what they did at Blackpool and that is the model we are following," he said. "They did not have the strongest of batting line-ups but concentrated on taking wickets and that is our aim. We want to bowl more teams out this season."
To see Eldred's stats - Click Here
(Article courtesy of The Westmorland Gazette)
Article by Richard Edmondson
