Accrington sign Ashwell Prince

February 16th 2002
Accrington have signed 24 year-old Western Province batsman Ashwell Prince as professional for the 2002 season. Prince bats left handed and bowls off spin or medium pace.

In First Class cricket, he has scored 2794 runs at 36.8 and in One Day matches he has scored 954 runs at 21.7.

Accrington Chairman Peter Barratt is pleased with his club's new signing: "He was one of a top group of South Africans that we have been looking at and comes highly recommended by Craig Norris. Ashwell isn't renowned for his bowling, but Craig thinks that he will take wickets for us in addition to scoring plenty of runs. He is also an outstanding fielder.

"There have been reports that he has problems with a shoulder injury, but Craig has assured us that he is over that and he is throwing the ball in as hard as ever. We are confident that our amateur bowling will serve us well this season.

"Ashwell, along with the other South African professionals in the league, will have to go home at the beginning of September, but we will have a replacement lined up in good time."

Accrington's first overseas professional was a South African, the legendary Charlie Llewellyn back in 1911. Eddie Barlow (1964), Peter Swart (1969), Prince's current teammate Neil Johnson (1993) and Chad Grainger (1996) are more recent additions to the list.

Ash, which is his nickname, is extremely keen to play in the Lancashire League, alongside his fellow countrymen of which there are several in the league this season. Prince has been selected to play for South Africa A against Australia in the opening match of the tour along with Charl Langeveldt, Andrew Hall and Jacques Rudolph who will also be playing in the Lancashire League in 2002. The South African is no stranger to English conditions, having acted as professional at Morecambe in 1999 and 2000.