BACUP captain Tim Farragher is hoping his club’s luck with professionals is about to turn in their favour for the new Lancashire League season after the Lanehead outfit secured the signature of South African all-rounder Aubrey Ryan Swanepoel.

And Farragher has already circled the date of June 6 in his diary as he looks forward to the new campaign.

“If we get past June 6 I will be a happy man,” smiled Farragher. “Last year’s pro Udara Peiris and 2011’s Jon-Jon Smuts both went home through injury on June 6 so it’s not a date that we really look forward to!

“But I suppose it was about time we had a rough spell because prior to then we had a good run with people like Michael Smith staying for pretty much the full season while other clubs struggled to keep their professionals.

“Michael has recommended Aubrey to us and we are hoping for good things. “He is only 23 and keen and that is good for the club because take me and one or two others out of the side and we have a very young average age.

“I think a lot of the younger lads will be able to relate to Aubrey as he is in their age group and you need a team to be together on the field and good mates off it.”

Swanepoel, an off-spinning all rounder, plays for Griqualand West alongside former Church pro Neil Bredenkamp and last season’s paid man at Rawtenstall Jandre Coetzee.

The former South African Under 19 star has hit 2,041 runs at 30.9, with five centuries, since making his First Class debut in 2007.

Farragher, meanwhile, has been reappointed as Bacup skipper after replacing the injured David Warren part way through last season.

“I am really proud to be captain and hopefully I can help us improve on last year,” he said.