HALESOWEN have moved to strengthen their batting line-up ahead of the new season with the addition of Priyesh Dhoolab.

The former West Bromwich Dartmouth, Smethwick and Stourbridge player has ended his self-imposed exile from the game over the last two years to make his comeback with the club.

And he'll be playing alongside some familiar faces as he teams up with skipper Richard Brooker and Wes Griffiths for a second time after their spell at Stourbridge over a decade ago.

He's spent the bulk of his career at West Bromwich Dartmouth where he learnt his trade from household names like David Houghton, Andy Flower and Mike Rindel and during his time there he played county age group cricket for Warwickshire.

Dhoolab said: "It's great to be back in the game again. I have taken a couple of years out to concentrate on some music stuff and frankly I needed the break but every year April comes around you think I should be playing and knowing one or two of the lads at Halesowen made it an easy choice.

"I love the game too much to watch from the sidelines and having been in conversation with some of the Halesowen hierarchy this winter about other matters I got a really good vibe about the place.

"So last week I decided I was going to give them a call and see where I could fit in and so on.

"Obviously it's going to take me a while to get back into it again and I have missed pre-season which means I am ‘behind’ everyone else in terms of preparation.

"But the club have put a clear plan in place for me with regards to the season and now we have to manage that month by month. I can't wait to get the pads on again, we just need the sun to come out now!"

Meanwhile the club have, like most of their neighbours, spent another week wondering when summer will finally arrive with more heavy rain washing out play.

T20 Games planned against Himley and Walsall last weekend fell to the weather and the fields and practice areas were at perhaps their worst in some years But the club remain upbeat and have been re-arranging their pre-season programme.

This Saturday, April 23, sees a 1stXI visit from Astwood Bank to Seth Somers Park (1pm) whilst on Sunday the club will visit Kenilworth Wardens for the first round of the ECB T20 National Knock Out competition at Glasshouse Lane, Kenilworth.