Werner eyes the main prize (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Werner eyes the main prize

2:20pm Tuesday 24th July 2012 in Sport By Matt Donlan, Sports reporter

STAR South African Werner Coetsee is aiming for another big weekend as he looks to keep up the pressure on Foster’s Lancashire League leaders Lowerhouse.

Enfield’s class act professional made it a Springbok Sunday to remember as he ripped the reigning champions apart with an all-round starring show, claiming 8-49 and then hitting 85 not out in an eight-wicket win.

That win came hot on the heels of Saturday’s shock loss to Bacup – and it was needed to stop the House stretching their advantage as the Dill Hall Lane outfit reeled the gap in to just seven points.

“It was a massive win and we needed it after Saturday,” said the 29-year-old, who plays for Lions back home.

“We had looked at the weekend as games we wanted to target and it was important to get something at Lowerhouse.

“We can’t let up with the standards, though. We have to push hard and continue with the standards we set on Sunday. There is a way to go yet and we want to stay right in the mix.

“We played really well as a team and it helped us because we had two spinners in the side. It was easier to bat seam bowlers on the track than it was the spinners so that went for us.

“And with Ernie Els winning the Open and South Africa dominating the Test match, it was a good day for me, especially as I was playing against another South African in Francois Haasbroek.

“There are a lot of South Africans over here this year – and it is always nice to put one over on them.

“But there’s no point getting carried away with Sunday’s win.

“We have a massive weekend coming up with a game at Ramsbottom on Saturday and then another game with Lowerhouse on Sunday. They are huge matches.”

Coetsee was pro at Northern League outfit Morecambe in 2007 and shone for Enfield with both bat and ball last term. And he is aiming to continue to push his side towards success in what has been a disrupted season thanks to the weather.

“I hope the title is decided on the field rather than in the dressing room,” he said. “I have never seen anything like this weather.

“I suppose it is worse for all the English guys because this is your summer. I have come from the South African summer with the sun – and at the end of the season I will be going back to the sun.

“But it is not good to play in.

“We had the Worsley Cup tie with East Lancashire that went on for a month and I have never known anything like that.

“But people are now starting to whisper that we might be about to get some good weather for a few weeks. I hope they are right.”

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