TWO of Ryedale's top sides will lock horns on the opening day of the new season in the York and District Senior League this Saturday.

Duncombe Park will visit newly-promoted Malton and Old Malton in the first division in a match which has been switched to Ebberston, because Old Malton FC have yet to end their season.

The home side will have new Aussie import Ryan Bulger among their ranks. The 24-year-old all-rounder, who bowls leg spin and bats right handed, has already had experience of playing in this country, having played in a highly-rated Surrey league. Bulger has played first grade cricket in Adelaide and also represented South Australian seconds.

With off-spinners Danny Foxton and Mark Yates impressing over the last two seasons, the addition of Bulger means spin looks set to be a key weapon in the Malton bowling attack. The Johnson brothers, Neil and Greg, plus Darren Wyrill, will be relied upon to score plenty of runs for Malton, while it is hoped young all-rounder David Bradshaw will make an impact.

Duncombe Park will also have an Australian as their overseas player this season. Adam Ryan is an attacking batsman, who also bowls medium pace. Ryan was player of the year at his club side in Bundaburg, Queensland, who play at second grade level. Park have a number of absentees this year, with Peter Richardson and Alex Boyle having gone in the opposite direction to Ryan down under. Mark Wilkie also heads for Australia in June.

The Helmsley side will hope Paul Wilkie can get among the wickets again, while young paceman Matthew Harding and Park stalwart Colin Humpleby look set to play important roles with the ball. Wilkie has relinquished the captaincy to Brian Leckenby, who was the first batsmen ever to reach 1,000 runs in a season for Park last year. Peter Humpleby and Peter Kent will be hoping to be among Park's main run-getters.

Pickering skipper Colin Frank is looking for a top-half finish in the premier division, having strengthened his squad with the addition of Matt Kings, from Scarborough's second team, and Jim Boyes, from Lockton, who is likely to start in the second team. But the loss of wicketkeeper-batsman Chris Nichols on a regular basis, due to work and home commitments, will be a blow.

Cropton's Rob Aconley is set to deputise behind the stumps, though Nichols is due to play for the seconds in their opening fixture.

Aussie Sean Stuchbery is expected to touch down this week in time for Pickering's opening match at home to Sessay this Saturday. The match is being played at Flixton as the Pickering pitch is unavailable due to football requirements. Wickets are pitched at 1pm. The 6'2" leg-spinner from Queensland will be in his second season with the Pikes.

Paul Witty is expected to step up to open the innings alongside Mark Shepherd, who, along with Cropton's Craig Aconley, will hope to make a big impact with both bat and ball. Skipper Frank will also be a key man with the bat at number three. Pikes' fixtures at Heworth and Flixton were called off due to the weather at the weekend.

Updated: 11:32 Wednesday, April 21, 2004