Waterloo skipper leads devoted county charge

Apr 30 2008 Liverpool Daily Post

WATERLOO may not have enjoyed a highly successful season, finishing 10th out of 14 teams in National Division Two with a total of 14 defeats, but they have managed to provide Lancashire with their captain in Jason Duffy.

The Red Rose side start their campaign to win a fifth title in the last seven seasons this coming Saturday, when they are due to entertain Warwickshire at Preston, and coach Mark Nelson has named a squad that he considers more outstanding than in recent years.

“We are one of comparatively few counties who love to compete in the Championship,” he said yesterday. “Our players are always willing to work hard, help each other and show real commitment.

“We have managed to win four titles in the last six season and also enjoyed a super tour of South America during which we remained unbeaten.

“We may only be starting with a couple of players from Waterloo, who have provided us with a good many in the past, but three of their players will be among the substitutes on Saturday and several of the squad used to play at Blundellsands.”

The two men due to start are skipper Jason Duffy, picked to play on the wing this Saturday and hooker Peter Ince, with prop James Jones, lock John Nugent and fly-half Alex Davies on the bench. Former Waterloo players Steve Nutt, who will start at fly-half on Saturday, second rower Louis McGowan, currently with Rotherham and flanker Dan Palmer will also be there on the bench to ensure that the country’s challenge will mean a great deal at Blundellsands.

Following this opening encounter at Preston, Lancashire will move on to meet Cheshire at New Brighton in their second match on Sunday week and then take part in a mighty Roses clash with Yorkshire and Harrogate.

“We are all looking forward to it very much,” coach Nelson emphasised. “Nothing could be better than to win another county title, which would be our fifth in seven years and we have a very useful squad who are capable of doing it.”

Lancashire squad: M Riley (Sedgeley Park); Nick Royle (Fylde), Oliver Brennan (Fylde), Chris Brears (Sedgeley Park), James Duffy (Waterloo),(Capt.); Steve Nutt (Fylde on loan from Sedgeley Park); James Doherty (Wharfedale); P Du Plessis (Sedgeley Park); Peter Ince (Waterloo); Nick Flynn (Manchester); Roger Banks (Fylde), Lew McGowan (Rotherham); Seb Moss (Manchester); Devin Dewhurst (Preston); John Cross (Sedgeley Park). Replacements: James Jones (Waterloo); Chris Tyms (Fylde); Jon Nugent (Waterloo); Dan Palmer (Birkenhead Park); Darren Wilson (Preston); Alex Davies (Waterloo); Richard Kenyon (Fylde).