MARTIN van Jaarsveld may not have broken the Enfield batting record this season but he will be back next year to try again.

The Dill Hall Lane club have snapped up the services of the South African for the third successive season - and president John Hargreaves was overjoyed.

"We are delighted to sign him. We have been working on it for some time and it is great news for us."

Enfield are enjoying one of their best seasons since the 1970s as they are second in the league behind holders Bacup.

Van Jaarsveld has notched up 937 league runs this season - the club record stands at 1,437 - and has taken 45 wickets.

However, it has been the weather which has thwarted his plans to rewrite the Enfield record books this season.

"We have had seven 'no results' and he has still managed to score 1,000 runs for us and get 50 wickets in the league and cup," said the president.

"I have been president for 10 years and it has definitely been our best season since I have been here.

"We feel that next year with Martin we could win the title, if we keep hold of the current players and add one or two more.

"We have five games left this season, Martin has two and will miss the last three.

"These things happen because of the South African season, we obviously would like him to play as many games as possible but there is so much cricket played.

"We are just glad he has agreed to come back."

Van Jaarsveld's batting record at his former club Lowerhouse looks set to stand for another season after he amassed 1,260 in 1999.

His fellow countryman Jacques Rudolph had threatened to break it this season. He has 1,091 and therefore needs 170 when the two sides clash in Rudolph's final match at Lowerhouse before he returns home on Sunday.

"Martin will be looking to get him out first ball," laughed the Enfield chief.