DARWEN have fended off a clutch of other clubs by re-signing big-hitting Pakistani Atif Ashraf as their professional for 2008.

The 27-year-old all-rounder returns to Birch Hall for his third season, looking to improve on a sensational 2007 campaign that saw him smash the Northern League's individual scoring record with a magnificent unbeaten 208 against Barrow.

That was one of four centuries chalked up by Ashraf in a season that saw him average 106.8 from just 18 innings, and make him one of the most-wanted paid-men in the business.

But Darwen have managed to hold on to the Islamabad-born star, and club chairman Matthew Grant is pleased to have Ashraf back.

"Atif has signed with us for this season and that's excellent," said Grant.

"We're delighted he's staying with us. He broke our batting record and was the first person ever to score 200 runs in a single Northern League match.

"If we had not had so many games abandoned due to the weather, I'm sure he'd have gone on to be the highest ever Northern League run-scorer in a single season.

"He took a lot of wickets for us too. He gave us an extra dimension with his spin-bowling."

However, Darwen have suffered a blow ahead of the new season with a cruciate knee injury to all-rounder Chris Lowe, who has been ruled out for the entire 2008 campaign.