KINGTON Cricket Club have signed Mohammad Ali, the former Derbyshire and Middlesex fast bowler who has also joined Hereford-shire, writes Malcolm Hughes.

He will replace Sri Lankan, Dharshana Gamage as the only likely change to the Kington squad that won the Worcestershire County League last year when they open their Division 3 campaign in the Birmingham and District League next month.

Having had first hand experience of Ali when he played for Brockhampton, Kington captain Duncan Morgan, the Kington captain, sees him as an all-rounder in the side.

Morgan is aiming for Kington to establish themselves as a Birmingham League side, hopefully with another Herefordshire side joining them in the future, looking on survival this season as a first major step towards achieving this goal.

From their previous experience at this level, he appreciates it will a difficult task, but feels that the present relatively young squad have the makings of a good side.

They have earned their chance after making steady progress over the last two seasons, following two ordinary seasons after being relegated.

He feels he will get an early measure of their chances when Studley, who were relegated from Division 2 last term, visit the Recreation Ground for the opening game on Saturday, May 6.