SKIPPER Matt Uffindall has backed Lenny McKittrick to "run riot" at home to former club Hampsthwaite tomorrow (2pm start).
McKittrick’s presence adds spice as fourth placed Hampsthwaite visit early leaders Newby in a top of the table showdown.
The South African was a long-serving player at Hampsthwaite but has now joined Newby and has already produced the goods with b
at and ball.
McKittrick was dismissed for a duck on Saturday but Newby are in fine form and recorded their third straight win with a four wicket victory at Bolton Abbey on Saturday.
Now Uffindall is warning his South African star is relishing the clash with his former team-mates.
“I’ve been chatting to Olie Mantle quite a bit and he’s been talking them up and it’s good banter,” said Uffindall.
“He rates their overseas but we know what we’ve got and with Lenny it’s the one thing he’s been talking about since he came here. He’s mad keen.
“He’ll be a handful, he’s class and it wouldn’t surprise me if he ran riot.
“Hampsthwaite will target Lenny but even if he has an off day we’ve got ten other players who are more than capable.
“We go in confident but not taking anything for granted.”
On Saturday, Grant Leivers took 3-42 to restrict Abbey to 122-8 before 32 from Olie Uffindall and an unbeaten 36 from Steve Potter guided Newby to 123-6.
It’s so far so good but Uffindall knows the next month at Newby is crucial.
“Three out of three is a good start,” he said.
“I suppose if we were going to be really harsh on ourselves it would have been nice to have got that extra point against Bolton Abbey and Kirkby but we’re not going to lose any sleep on that.
“We’ve Hampsthwaite next and we’re confident we can do a job there and after that it’s the real big boys - Pannal, Killinghall and Masham in a row.
“We’re looking forward to those - they are the games we want to be playing.”
Elsewhere tomorrow, Alan Brownlee’s KIRKBY MALZEARD will seek their first win of the season at home to Alne following defeats to Hampsthwaite, Newby Hall and most recently Killinghall.
MASHAM host Ouseburn, Adam Smith’s side having lost to Goldsborough on Saturday following the previous week’s ten wicket win against Helperby.
The full article contains 416 words and appears in Ripon Gazette newspaper.
