MARTIN van Jaarsveld better watch out - Lowerhouse's pro for this season Jacques Rudolph is out to break his batting record.

South African van Jaarsveld scored 1260 runs in 1999 to set a new club record at Liverpool Road.

He has since moved onto Enfield but his Northern Titan team-mate Rudolph is out to upstage him.

"He wants to break Martin's record," said Lowerhouse skipper Matt Hope.

"There is a lot of friendly rivalry between the two of them as they play for the same team back home and Jacques has said he wants Martin's record.

"Both are very good players and we owe a great debt to chairman Dave Wren who keeps getting us professionals of such high calibre."

Rudolph, 20, has made one appearance for the South African Test team and played for South Africa A against India A recently scoring 97.

He has also taken more than 30 first class wickets and was on Yorkshire's short-list to be their sub pro this summer.

"He is also in a one-day final for North Titans against Natal so he is getting plenty of practise in," continued Hope.

The Lowerhouse skipper has been keeping in touch with his new pro - a left handed batsman who bowls right arm leg spin - who he hopes will last the season.

Last season South African Jon Kent had to pull out only a few games into the season because of injury and they were reliant on sub pros.

"It was disappointing as I don't think we ever saw the best of Jon," admitted the Lowerhouse captain.

"He is a good player, he played for South Africa against Australia recently so he is a class act. We just never got to see it."

Even so Lowerhouse had a relatively successful season, finishing seventh.

"It wasn't necessarily a bad experience as we got to play with the likes of Joe Scuderi and Claude Henderson, cricketers who we could never have afforded to have for the full season.

"But you do miss what the pro does midweek, organising nets, coaching and just basically having him around.

"It did put quite a lot of pressure on the amateurs but still the lads had a great season."

He continued: "Perhaps in the past we have relied too much on Bleaz (Chris Bleazard) and Jez (Hope).

"We haven't had anyone like a number seven who can get 30-odd runs that teams usually have who win the league.

"But hopefully, especially with the pro we have, we can get some consistency this season and it will help the less experienced amateurs.

"And we need those amateurs that don't play as regularly to start doing so to help us win the games.

"Then there is no reason why we can't have a top three finish and a decent run in the cup."

Lowerhouse still have the three Hope brothers together - Matt, Jez and Nicky - but have lost two players to retirement. Ryan Hesketh, who hasn't fully recovered from a broken leg, has packed in as has John Procter.