| Player: | AB Wise |
DateLine: 7th December 2005
Rawtenstall have signed Victorian left arm pace bowler Allan Wise as professional for the 2006 season. Wise, who will be 27 when the season starts, has taken 65 wickets at 26.4 from 20 First-class matches to date. The right handed lower order batsman has a less impressive record with the willow, recording just 57 runs with a highest score of 8 to date. His latest First-class match in a career that began in 2003-04, was against the West Indian tourists. Wise took 3-47 in the same match that former Ramsbottom batsman Brad Hodge hit 177 in a drawn game.
Wise has played league cricket in Kent in recent seasons, boasting 400 runs and a stack of wickets down South but Rawtenstall's main concern is that the left armer picks up wickets and adds useful runs with last season's professional Andrew Payne playing as an amateur still at the top of the order.
Victoria has been a happy hunting ground for Rawtenstall in the past with the likes of Matthew Mott, Ian Hewitt, Graeme Ross, Colin Miller and John Grant all coming from the state.