STAR batsman Will Driver is closing in on a return to action – and says he can’t wait to pick up a bat for the first time since September.

Read’s 22-year-old former Accrington professional has been sidelined after undergoing a winter shoulder operation but is nearing a comeback for the Whalley Road outfit – and hopes to be back in the fray early next month.

That would be a huge boost for Read and for Driver, who holds Read’s amateur batting record of 1,023 made in a run-laden summer of 2006.

“I am hopefully about two or three weeks away,” he said. “And I can’t wait to get going.

“I have seen the surgeon again and I am doing two sessions a week with the physio to build up fitness and it is going well.

“I haven’t picked up a bat in anger since last year and I am looking forward to getting back out into the middle.”

Minus Driver, title favourites Read have started the Ribblesdale League campaign well and sit in second spot behind early season pacesetters Baxenden after four games.

“It’s a good, competitive league this year,” added Driver. “People made us title favourites but there are some good teams about, the likes of Edenfield, Baxenden and Barnoldswick.

“But we have started well and hopefully I can add to that when I get back out there.

“It’s hard watching games when you want to be playing though.”

With Driver and Jon Harvey in the amateur ranks and highly-rated professional Stuart Hornby all capable of taking games away from teams, it is easy to see why Read are favourites.

But the Burnley-born ace insists there’s more to Read than the trio.

“The rest of the lads have been stepping up to the mark,” he said.

“Wicketkeeper Kyle O’Connor has won a couple of games, Andrew Rushton got eight wickets the other week and last weekend it was Mohammed Jamil doing it with the bat.

“It’s good that we are winning game without the so-called big hitters performing – and hopefully we can become stronger and stronger as the season progresses.”