A NEW overseas signing, a former club junior and a player coming back from a year out with injury are among the off-season headlines at Grappenhall Cricket Club as they prepare to get their new season underway.

Having avoided relegation from the Cheshire County League Premier Division last year, the first team kick off the new campaign by welcoming Cheadle to Broad Lane.

They will do so with overseas signing Olly Knight on board after he arrived in the UK from Australia last week.

The 24-year-old Australian, who has played first-grade cricket for North Sydney, is a fast-bowling all-rounder and is an imposing presence at 6feet 4ins tall.

Another new addition is quick bowler and lower-order batsman Ian Hall – even taller at 6feet 6ins – who is a former Grappers junior and returns having spent the past four years playing for Unsworth in the Greater Manchester Cricket League.

The return to fitness of Adam Green is also a big boost – he has missed more than 12 months of action with a shoulder injury.

The seconds also start on Saturday as they make the trip to Cheadle.

Elsewhere, the season also gets underway for five other clubs around the town.

Warrington start their Cheshire County League Division two campaign at home to Congleton while three of our four Cheshire Cricket League teams open up on home soil.

Division One outfit Lymm Oughtrington Park and Division Two pair Appleton and Stretton all have home games while Glazebury get their year started with a trip to Bowdon Vale.

Cricket fixtures, Saturday, 1pm start unless stated:

Cheshire County Cricket League:

Premier Division: Grappenhall vs Cheadle, 12.30pm

Division Two: Warrington vs Congleton

Cheshire Cricket League:

Division One: Lymm Oughtrington Park vs Stockport Trinity

Division Two: Appleton vs Hawk Green, Stretton vs Maritime

Division Four: Bowdon Vale vs Glazebury