North Down Cricket Club is pleased to announce the signing of two new players ahead of the 2008 season.

Andrew Sutherland is a 32 year-old left handed batter from Australia while Luke Parsons is a 26 year-old all-rounder from Te Awamutu in the Waikato region of New Zealand’s North Island.

Sutherland, who has previous experience in the Sydney 1st Grade competition, spent the second half of last season in the nets with the Comber club and is looking forward to the season ahead. “It will obviously be very different to playing at home in Sydney, but North Down are a decent side, and I hope I’ll be able to help them continue the success they’ve had in the last few years”.

Parsons is the regular scrum-half for All-Ireland League Division 3 Ards, but has decided to return to the summer code after a couple of years away from the sport, having previously played for both Midlands and Thames Valley Seniors in the Northern Districts Association competition.

North Down captain Peter Shields is understandably pleased to have secured both of them. “We have been in the limelight this winter for the wrong reasons, having lost a few players, but we’re delighted to have Andrew and Luke on board. They are both keen to get started and along with the players we have, we hope to be competing for silverware at the end of the season.”

Sutherland started impressively last Saturday with 93 against a CSNI bowling attack that included Regan West and Ewen Thompson, while Parsons will commence his North Down career this weekend, when the Comber club host a Twenty20 competition on Saturday featuring Downpatrick, Lisburn and Ardmore, and entertain Bready on Sunday.