New home for Ushaw Moor (From Darlington and Stockton Times)

New home for Ushaw Moor

12:00am Saturday 19th May 2012 in News By Chris West

Ushaw Moor finally got their season under way last week after two previous washouts, and victory over Brandon demonstrated that their new look side could well be a force to be reckoned with.

But there is a big question mark over when their home ground will be able to stage matches after the terrible spring weather left it in a dreadful state.

With little likelihood of cricket being played there before the end of May the League executive have agreed a unique short-term solution with the Moor granted special dispensation to play their home games at Maiden Castle in Durham over the next few weeks.

And the first of these should be a humdinger with Crook, the first team to visit Moor's home from home this afternoon.

The hosts make just one change from last week's line-up, an enforced one with John Southeran damaging his ankle tendons in last week's game, something that is likely to sideline him for two to three weeks. Michael Hayton is called up.

Crook are expected to challenge this year given the strength of their squad and their Australian has arrived with Clive Rose set to bloom at the Castle when he makes his long-awaited debut.

Champions Esh Winning face a tricky game at Langley Park with three players absent.

Skipper Eddie Watson, Stuart Hall and Chris Moore are all missing, with Joncharles Gott, Michael Oughton and Michael Bussey taking their places.

The Park also have their selection issues with Steven Gray and Lee Wright unavailable - Dave Appleton and junior skipper Joe Long earn call-ups.

Mainsforth's long wait for Sri Lankan Ikram Abdeen to arrive continues.

The view was that he would probably not make today's home game against Brandon, so the only likely change to their starting XI is the inclusion of Callum Walton for Ian Thompson.

Stephen Parnaby hit a half century for Brandon last week, but he is attending a stag party this weekend and his place is taken by youngster Tom Hodgkiss.

Two unchanged teams step out at Tudhoe where Evenwood are the visitors, but Willington will be missing father and son duo Gary and Ryan Cummings as the youngster pursues his burgeoning football career.

Decisions on just who will replace them have been deferred but visitors Shildon have to cope without JP Nash for a game they need to win to climb off the bottom of the table.