BURNLEY Cricket Club have signed Australian Geoff Foley as their professional for the coming season.

Having missed out on South African Dale Benkenstein earlier in the winter, the Turf Moor club have pulled off quite a coup in coaxing Foley from Northern League club Netherfield, where he had an outstanding season last year.

The 32-year-old Queenslander, who replaces South African Anthony Botha, also played two games as a substitute professional for Burnley last summer and against Haslingden hit a century and took six wickets.

And Burnley, to be captained again by Andy McLeod, are hoping that Foley's run-making potential will make a youthful side serious Lancashire League challengers after they finished seventh in 1999.

Cricket manager Michael Anderson said he was delighted with the appointment of the free-scoring left-hander which was confirmed today.

He said: "We are very pleased with it. I think he topped 1,000 runs for Netherfield last season and they wanted him back so we are delighted to get him."

"I think he enjoyed playing the two matches for us last season and got on really well with all the lads.

"We missed out on Dale Benkenstein because of his commitments with the South Africa 'A' team but if Geoff plays like he did last year we will be more than happy.

"We had a big improvement last season with our talented young players coming through.

"With the experience of Geoff, I'm sure that he will help bring them on even further and we are hoping to be challenging for honours."

And Anderson confirmed the club also has irons in the fire regarding one or two other potential new, young players.

He added: "We have a nucleus of players playing for Lancashire sides and we seem to attract young players who want to play in the Lancashire League."

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