LANCASHIRE star Oliver Newby has been given the okay to return to Read – and will turn out for his home club on Saturday week in the Ribblesdale League table-topping show-down at Baxenden.

The 26-year-old pace ace, who missed virtually all of last season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury, started the current campaign in the Red Rose team.

But a niggling injury saw him drop out of the squad – and Old Trafford head coach Peter Moores wants Newby to be unleashed on the league in order to maintain match fitness.

Read had hoped Newby would be available for this weekend’s trip to Settle but the Lancashire medical team wants the bowler to have an extra week.

“It is good news for us,” said Whalley Road skipper Warren Eastham, who himself returns to the side for the trek to Marshfield after an arm muscle injury.

“We hoped Oliver would be available for Saturday but his physio wants him to wait another week and that means he is back for the double header with Baxenden and Padiham next week.”

Former Accrington pro Will Driver also makes his return to the Read side after his shoulder injury this weekend and Eastham is hoping his unbeaten men can now step up their hunt for the leadership of the table.

“We are going well with five wins from five,” he added. “But we need to start picking up bonus points and hopefully with Ollie coming back next week and me being miserly we can start getting those.

“It’s a massive weekend when we play Baxenden and Padiham – but we have a big game on Saturday.”

Read are also in action on Sunday when they travel to Clitheroe in the Lancashire Cup but Eastham said: “It’s a shame really.

“You enter the Lancashire Cup to play against different teams from different leagues and you wind up getting drawn just down the road.

“I am sure Clitheroe feel the same about it and we will give a few fringe lads a chance in that one.”