Hartlepool have set aside the huge disappointment of the visa problems that have undermined their desire to retain the services of overseas star Shani Dissanayake, and moved swiftly to land Durham stalwart Phil Mustard.

Dissanayake, the popular Sri Lankan who has proved such a valuable asset both on and off the field to his two clubs for the 12 years he has played in the NYSD, impressed everyone in his first season at Park Drive and the delays have mystified everyone.

Having waited patiently for several weeks, Pools have been unable to hang on in the hope that the situation changes, the problem proving a baptism of fire for new skipper Chris Harrison who said: “This has got everyone in the club totally baffled, but we can’t stand around and wait and we have had to move quickly elsewhere.”

And they have certainly done that, with the Colonel heading up the cavalry.

Former one-day international and Durham wicketkeeper Mustard has taken over as professional for the rest of the season and is expected to make his debut in today’s game at Cricket Lane.

Having hit a rousing 166 for Durham’s second team against Scotland A earlier this week he is already in sparkling form, something that others may struggle with given that today is effectively the season opener following last week’s total wipe out.

Hosts Normanby Hall will be unveiling their own new pro’s with Aamer Sajjad and Ryan Gibson set for their first outings. Sajjad moved to the Hall after three successful seasons at Vere Road where he scored more than 3,000 runs for Barnard Castle, while Gibson, 20, who has already made several List A and T20 appearances for Yorkshire, is back in the League following several years as a junior at Marton.

Great Ayton, runners-up in 2015, get their season underway with a plum home game against the one team who finished above them last year, champions Richmondshire.

Skipper Chris Batchelor is confident they can be title challengers again if they start like they finished – in the first half of the last campaign they won just three times in 13 matches, losing five of those, but eight wins and one defeat in the run-in saw them take the title race into the final weekend.

The Aytonians will have all three new boys in their line-up, former Yorkshire men Chris Allinson and Phil Holdsworth taking their place alongside New Zealander Parth Patel.

The Dalesmen will once again be the team to catch – three titles and a runners-up slot in the last four years is testimony to their quality, and with Gary Pratt once again at the helm, North-East player of the year Toby Bulcock back in harness, and Matty Cowling returning to the fold after a couple of years at Brandon they will be confident of further success.

Richmondshire’s neighbours, Barnard Castle, could be one of their main challengers. They open with a home game against Norton and have new pro Karl Turner and Aussie amateur Lachlan Pfeffer penciled in for their debuts. Norton are buoyed by the acquisition of their former junior, Mark Davies, who has recovered from a shoulder injury and is expected to be a lethal part of their attack, especially with there likely to be plenty of juice in the early season pitches.

Darlington have four players making their first appearances when Marske visit Feethams, the list headed by Mohammad Saad, but visa delays mean Rizwan Ullah misses the opener, and it’s the same story for the visitors with Ullrich Boshoff’s arrival from New Zealand also delayed.

Stokesley, third last time out, entertain survival specialists Seaton Carew at the SCG, Doug Mulholland raring to go for his new club and Usman Arshad installed as the new Seaton pro, while a youthful Boro team kick their campaign off at Acklam Park against a Guisborough side disappointed that they have been unable to solve their professional problems, but expecting great things from Aussie Ash Armstrong.