EPPLETON'S indifferent start will be put under further examination as they travel to take on champions Burnmoor today in the first match of a Bank Holiday double-header.

But the club suddenly have a renewed spring in their step after the long-running saga about the availability of their overseas professional has finally been resolved - Zimbabwean Elton Chigumbura is at last in town and he goes straight into the side.

Elton is a right-arm medium paced bowler who can bat, and brings experience as his record of six Test and 71 ODI appearances indicates.

A further boost to Eppleton is the return of skipper David Lowther from holiday. Home supporters will get their first chance to see Chigumbura on Monday when Marsden are the visitors.

As well as the Zimbabwean Test player's debut the Bank Holiday weekend double programme holds out promise of some intriguing battles as leaders Hetton Lyons get the opportunity to demonstrate that their impressive start to the season is no flash in the pan.

However, one big miss for Lyons this weekend is Paul Riddle.

His value is demonstrated by the fact that he has almost kept pace in the run scoring charts with the prolific Shaun Birbeck, who has still to be dismissed in a league match.

Liam Mallaburn and Gary Adey step into the side as they begin with a trip to South Hetton today, for whom 16-year-old Luke Lang is given his first team chance, and then entertain titleholders Burnmoor on Monday.

Whitburn occupy second spot, but with their closest rivals potentially cutting each other's throats over the weekend there is an opportunity to make up valuable ground in their matches at Marsden, and then at home to Felling. They go into the doubleheader minus key bowler Neil Johnson.

With Ross Galley and Luke Anderson missing Philadelphia plump for youth as they draft in juniors Matthew Haswell and Jamie Parkinson for their home match with Horden and the trip to Seaham Harbour.

Phili's cause will be helped by the news that Horden skipper Adrian Hedley misses the first match of the weekend, as does Kevin Spanton, although they both return on Monday to face Durham City.

Felling enjoy the unusual luxury of being unchanged as they look to compound Harbours problems at the bottom before facing up to Whitburn, and Boldon travel to Durham to take on City before tackling South Hetton in their second match.