ALVIRO Petersen returns for Enfield this weekend and skipper David Bracewell is hoping he can propel them back up the Lancashire League.
The South African left at the beginning of July for a tour with his country's Emerging Players squad in Australia.
Enfield were second in the league then but have slipped down to seventh. However, it is a congested league and they lie 21 points behind the leaders with 10 games to play - so there is all still to play for.
"Alviro has done well on the tour - he was the second leading run scorer so hopefully he will come back full of confidence," said the captain. "It will be good to have him back and a huge relief. My dad has been organising the sub pros, picking them up from all over the place, and it takes some pressure off him.
"And it helps to get a settled team back."
It has been a tricky month for the one-time league leaders and new pacesetters Ramsbottom pulled further away after they chalked up a 49 run win over the Dill Hall Lane side on Saturday.
Rams pro Sunil Joshi made an unbeaten 126 and Bracewell and co were ruing the ones that got away.
"We were going well with Ramsbottom at 30-3 but then we dropped three catches before we got the next wicket.
"Bernard Reidy dropped the pro at first slip when he was on about 15 although saying that he didn't know a lot about it. Bernard is one of the safest hands in the league and if he had caught it, it would have been a superb reaction catch. Instead it hit him in the chest."
The Rams went on to make their highest league score of the season with 220. Although Adam Bracewell made 73 and Sam Reidy, 34, in the chase, Enfield fell short.
"Adam did well but Ramsbottom have a really good attack and have three or four strong bowlers. We needed 70 off the last six overs and that was too much. It was one of those days but, with 12 points for a win, anything can still happen."
Enfield bounced back on Sunday thanks to sub pro Gyan Pandey, from Great Harwood, who made an unbeaten 92 as they took on Rawtenstall at home.
"It is the first time a pro has won us a game since Alviro left," admitted the captain.
Pandey hit eight fours and four sixes striking up a good third wicket partnership with Mas Ahmed as they by-passed Rawtenstall's 187 and picked up a much-needed 10 points.
Bernard Reidy took six wickets over the weekend and has now got 38 scalps to make him the league's leading amateur wicket taker. Accrington's David Ormerod is pushing him all the way as is just one behind.
Lachlan Stevens is certainly making an impression at RISHTON as they look to do the league and cup double after being crowned 20/20 champions last weekend.
Australian Stevens - who has joined until the end of the season to replace the injured Vernon Philander - has certainly got going with the bat, hitting an unbeaten 122 with a massive 17 boundaries and three sixes as they chased 214-7 against Burnley.
Shaun Wyse made a vital 52 as the Blackburn Road side celebrated a seven wicket win and inflicted the first league defeat on an in-form Burnley since May. They do seem to have the Indian curse over the Turf Moor team who they beat in the final of the 20/20 competition.
But it was a different story on Saturday as Rishton lost by 23 runs to Nelson. They struggled to get going with the bat and were all out for 118 after Nelson had set an achievable 141.
