DUNCOMBE PARK Cricket Club's plan to have Zimbabwean Piete Rinke back in their side have been hit by Robert Mugabe's government.

Rinke played in the Hunters the Estate Agent York and District Senior League the season before last, but plans of a return have been scuppered as his visa has been withdrawn.

Because of the exceptional circumstances, the league's registration deadline date has been extended to give the Helmsley side the opportunity to recruit a replacement.

However, the club has been told the deadline can't be extended past the opening day of the season.

Some 26 overseas players have been registered with the league which starts on Saturday.

It comprises 15 Australians, five Pakistanis and one each from Sri Lanka, India, Zimbabwe, United Arab Emirates, New Zealand and the West Indies.

Two of the new recruits have already played first class cricket.

Woodhouse Grange's Kamran Sajid has a first class top score of 109 and a limited overs best of 105 for Pakistan International Airlines in the country's first class competition, the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. Sajid also played in the Pakistan Under-19 side in the U-19 World Cup.

His fellow countryman Tahir Maqsood, who will be parading his medium fast bowling at Sewerby, made his first class debut in 2000.

Two other players who appeared for their national U-19 teams have also been recruited.

Acomb have taken another Sri Lankan player, Sanjaya Kodimarakatage.

Carlton Towers, meanwhile, have opted for Australia's Sam McNally. He is a grade 'A' opener and medium pace swing bowler.

Kodimarakatage has a hard act to follow as fellow Sri Lankan Shannka Dissanayake was joint winner of last year's best overseas player award.

Clifton Alliance are hoping that Grade 'A' batsman Luke Wells will be another hit. He is a team-mate of Carlton's McNally and comes from the same stable as Darren Reeves, who was so successful for Clifton two years ago.

Damon Aston will again be in the Osbaldwick line-up having played for the club in the winter indoor league, while fellow Aussie Stuart Boyle returns to Stamford Bridge. Ryan Elliott (Heslington) and Andrew James (New Earswick) are also re-appearing for the same club.

Bridlington will again have Hafiz Khalid, who scored 975 runs and took 30 wickets, in their ranks.

Two players who played second XI cricket in the East Yorkshire Alliance are remaining with their clubs but will step up to the senior grade for the coming campaign. They are India's Gautam Sharma at Beverley and Ahmed Nadeem, from the United Arab Emirates, who will be hoping to boost Hornsea's promotion drive.

Australian David Makervis will be out to emulate Ben Nicholson's 1,117 runs at Malton, while Thirsk are pinning their hopes on all-rounder Garry Kelson from Geelong.

League new boys Hemingbrough have recruited Maqsood Akbar from Merseyside club Whitefield and will be looking to also utilise his coaching qualification.

Tadcaster Magnet will have the services of the only New Zealander in Shaun Cook, a middle order batsman in Wellington premier grade cricket, while Jamaican Harlan Haye will be appearing for Whitkirk.

Bolton Percy, who pioneered the overseas player idea over a decade ago, will have another Australian in Tyden Laffy, a team-mate of Chris Hill who starred for Bolton last summer.

Other recruits include J Blanck, an Australian at Castleford, and Kane Gordon, who has switched from Wetherby League side Spofforth to Harrogate.

Heworth will be hoping for fine performances from Mohammed Fayyaz, who is a 27-year-old all-rounder from Rawalpindi, while Hull Zingari have opted for a top order batsman in Robert Elston from Melbourne.

Pickering's man is leg spinner Sean Stuchbery, a 22-year-old Queenslander who bats in the middle order. Studley Royal's off-spinner and batsman Jerrard Loftman hails from Richmond Victoria.

York boast Australian Sean Hunter who bowls left arm and bats right handed.

Updated: 11:15 Thursday, April 24, 2003