FRANCOIS Haasbroek dedicates so much of his time to cricket - playing and coaching - that there is barely room in his life for anything else.

But this week the Lowerhouse batsman swapped his bat for a golf buggy to assist his friend, Nelson Golf Club’s Nick Uttley, in the Harold Ryden Trophy.

Haasbroek, who plays off 11 at Burnley Golf Club, accompanied Uttley all the way to Tuesday night’s semi finals, but refused to take any credit for his pal reaching the last four.

“I coach Nick’s daughter, Annabelle, at Lowerhouse and our friendship started from that,” said the South African.

“We were chatting over a beer one night and I said ‘if you ever need a caddy I’m free’, and it went from there.

“I’ve done it a few times in South Africa for friends.

“In amateur golf you play in pairs and caddy for each other and it’s just a bit of company.

“I was just walking around with Nick, admiring the shots.

“I was mainly just carrying Nick’s water and every now and then I had to give him a putter.

“I was quite nervous because there were a few people around. I was more nervous doing that than playing cricket!”

Haasbroek says Uttley was unlucky not to make the final, beaten in a close contest with Anthony Keenan.

“I was absolutely gutted he didn’t make the final because he played fantastically well. It was a great match. It’s a shame in those situations that somebody had to lose,” he said.

“I told him he could blame me.”

But Uttley’s exit at the penultimate stage meant Haasbroek could turn his focus back to cricket, ahead of Lowerhouse’s final T20 group game at home to Church tonight, and tomorrow’s visit of Great Harwood in the Lancashire League.

His coaching commitments - in schools and for Lowerhouse Cricket Club juniors - mean the 30-year-old is unable to train twice a week with the rest of his team-mates. But with a league average of 46.66 and some big scores in the 20/20 he has not let standards slip.

“I’m never at the club practicing, I just turn up and play,” he said.

“I wanted to take my coaching career further and I can’t commit to everything all the time. I didn’t want the added pressure of training. I can just let my hair down at the weekend.”