Accy land Canning

Thursday April 1st

Tama Canning

Accrington have signed Tama Canning as professional. Canning returns to the club where he made a big impression in his short time at the end of 2000, scoring 265 runs at 53, and taking 21 wickets at 16.5 after joining the club as a replacement for Nathan Astle. So impressed were Accrington, that they signed him up for 2001.

Tama Canning returns to Accrington as a cricketer who has matured into a top class performer at State level which has in turn led to International honours for the 26 year-old.

Last April, Canning was named Auckland's cricketer of the year after superb season of match-winning performances for his State. Canning finished as the leading wicket taker with 46 victims at 22.0 which was a record for Auckland, beating John Bracewell's 43 in 1986/87. Canning also hit his maiden First-class century - 113 against Canterbury, and averaged 37.6 with a total of 451 runs.

These performances earned the all rounder a place in the New Zealand Super Max side and a trip to Pakistan during the winter when he made his One Day International debut. To date Canning has played in three ODI's. In First-class matches he has 1329 runs at 25.1 and taken 143 wickets at 23.6.

Accrington are the last Lancashire League side to announce a signing after a traumatic winter which saw the club announce a loss of £5,000. In October the scorebox was burned to the ground and numerous break-ins and thefts have plagued the club during the winter.

Canning is the third New Zealander to sign for a Lancashire League club this season following Peter Fulton at Lowerhouse and James Franklin at Rishton.

Canning signing will no doubt send some shivers down the spines of Enfield supporters, who will remember the New Zealander too well. In three matches against them he scored 95, 115 and 65 and took 4-58, 4-23 and 5-55 in comprehensive wins for the Thorneyholme Road side. The two clubs meet in the first round of the Worsley Cup at Accrington on Sunday May 9th.