ACCRINGTON CC face a race against time in the hunt for a new professional.

The season is less than three weeks away but the Thorneyholme Road club are still without a pro.

"We have been hitting our head against a brick wall," said cricket chairman Peter Barratt. "We have struggled sometimes in the past to get someone but I have never known it quite like this."

Accrington had been linked with former professional Shane Warne and Lancashire second team coach Peter Sleep. But their efforts have so far been in vain and now time is against them with the new Lancashire League season due to start on Sunday April 21.

Barratt said: "We have tried for one or two big names but we have hit a number of problems.

"We had a meeting this week and we came up with two more names but when we contacted them we drew a blank.

"The biggest problem is the number of tours there are these days.

"Added to that a lot of the big name players are contracted to their individual state sides."

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