SYKES CUP holders Barkisland will unveil a new-look opening bowling strikeforce in April when the new Drakes League season gets under way.

Faced with the twin departures of Indian pace man Love Ablish and Zimbabwean quickie Tinashe Panyangara, the Scammonden Road club’s skipper Paul Winrow was quick to move in and fill the voids during the close season.

The first new arrival is highly-rated Mirfield Parish Cavaliers all-rounder Alex Schofield, who finished top of his club’s batting averages and second in the bowling averages last summer, while the second is exciting Mandla Mashimbyi, a 6ft 4in fast bowler from South Africa.

The only other new signing is new wicketkeeper Matthew Payne, who has joined from Slaithwaite, following the departure of Jacob Travis.

Panyangara and Ablish were probably the best strike pair in the League last season, and propelled the side into the top three, a position they held for much of the summer, until Ablish had to return home, after which they dropped slightly to finish in fifth spot.

“Despite winning the Sykes Cup, which was fantastic, it was still a disappointing end to the season after being there or thereabouts for most of the summer,” admitted Winrow, who will again lead Barkisland’s chase for honours in 2009.

“I always want us to do better than the previous season, so that means we’ll be going all out to retain the Sykes Cup and finish higher up in the League!

“Winning something is always a great feeling, and one that we would like to experience more.”

Well the new recruits certainly look to have the pedigree to keep Barkisland in the hunt for trophies in the upcoming campaign.

Last year Schofield scored almost 800 runs in Mirfield PC’s Central Yorkshire League season, which included three tons, twice scoring 125, while his medium to sharp bowling claimed 55 wickets.

Mashimbyi, meanwhile, is a known quality performer having played with the Eagles, Griqualand West, Northern and the Nashua Titans (the combined Eastern and Northerns side) who play in the SuperSport franchise series.

Classed as primarily an opening bowler who is also a fierce striker with the bat, the 28-year-old Mashimbyi plays alongside former Delph & Dobcross player Pierre Joubert, who is captain of the Northerns side, along with AB de Villiers, Dale Steyn, Francois du Plessis and Martin van Jaarsveld.

He is no stranger to the UK, having played in the Derbyshire Leagues for the last couple of seasons, so he knows what to expect from English wickets.

Added to that, Barkisland also have Adam Robinson back in the fold (he returned late last season after Ablish went home), while they can also turn to the more medium pace of Darren Robinson (no relation) and Winrow himself, who is now back to something like full fitness.

“I was never really ‘right’ from the start of the season last year, having just undergone knee surgery before the start, so I was never in a position to bowl properly. But now I think I’m probably fitter than for some time, and like the rest of the lads, I’m raring to go,” admitted Winrow.

“I feel we have a very well-balanced side again, probably even better than last year’s.

“Although we may have lost a slight edge on the opening bowling attack, we do have more depth with six bowlers, and we have definitely gained in batting, with useful run-makers batting all the way down.”

On paper, Barkisland must certainly be regarded as a threat to everyone, especially with a fit-again Winrow leading the way. After all, he topped 1,000 runs last season, including a match-winning 138 in the Sykes Cup final win over Delph, having put Honley out in the first round with 101 – and he wasn’t even fit at that stage!