SHROPSHIRE STAR TUESDAY, MARCH 30, 2010 SS 47 We can still do it insists Fielder Wolves Crusaders head By JAMES SHAW He said: “The team spirit after the and Marek Hornak. Apositive for washout Telford Titans coach Dave loss was still up, which is great, as we Fielder was his side’s penalty count, Opening night in the Elite played very well. with just afew minutes handed out to Speedway League 2010 Fielder has targetted three wins “The atmosphere in the dressing either team. south for super turned into adamp squib – out of three if his side are to make room was good, and we know what He added: “That is something Iam with current champions the finals of the English National we need to do. We need to win the proud of. Wolverhampton calling off League play-offs. three remaining games to make it “Our discipline was good and there their clash at home to Swin- The county men got their post-sea- into the final. were only afew penalties. don. night in son campaign off to the worse possible “It is the same as the last time we Wetconditions at Monmore start on Saturday night when they lost Unlucky played Coventry at home, when they Green forced the decision yes- Crusaders’ Welsh international full-back Elliot 6-3 at Coventry Blaze. “Confidence is still high in the camp won by just the one goal. terday afternoon. Kear says that it’s “surreal” to be playing alongside And with Nottingham Lions set to and we were really unlucky not to “It was apretty even game, but it Wolves travel to Belle Vue one of his childhood heroes Gareth Thomas. visit the ice rink on Sunday night, score. just went their way.” on Friday hoping to get their Kear,Thomas and the rest some would be forgiven for writing off “Wejust need to bear down this Telford emerged from Saturday season up and running, before week, address afew things in training of the Crusaders squad are Telford’s hopes at an early stage. night’s match with afully-fit squad the same opponents head to preparing to play an engage But Fielder believes his side are still and start getting some goals.” and expect to welcome back for- Monmore Green on Tuesday Telford’s goalscorers on Saturday Super League match back in Karol Jets –ontarget capable of springing asurprise, despite ward Owen Bennett for the visit of next week with a7.30pm South on Thursday for Titans in Coventry that defeat in Coventry. nightwere Karol Jets, Luke Brittle Nottingham. start. when they take on Harle- quins at The Gnoll in Neath (kick-off 7.30pm). It will be the Crusaders’ Youngster first game in South Wales since last September and Kear says that the southern- Fiaz set for based fans will see acom- pletely different Crusaders side when they turn up in Midlands their thousands on Thurs- day night. “I think that the South title fight Wales public will see amas- Shrewsbury Amateur sive difference in the Cru- Boxing Club youngster saders team,” said the Aroon Fiaz goes gunning for 21-year old. aMidlands title on Thurs- “They’ll see alot better day. drilled side for astart. I Aroon heads to the Tri- think the team is alot closer umph Sports Club at Coven- this year,we’re competing a try to take on Connor lot better against the other Robson, from Bulkington sides and having anew ABCinBedworth. coaching team has been a The winner of the 66- really big boost. 69kgs regional final then “It’s helped loads to have Iestyn Harris on board. He’s always giving me little tips and trying to help me out as much as possible. I’m always improving my game because of him.” Massive Kear,who started his sen- England cricketer James Anderson, front centre, with the youngsters at the Andrew Flintoff Academy taking place at Shrewsbury School this week ior career with Cardiff Demons aged just 18, has played just 12 games of RETURNING PACEMAN ANDERSON TARGETS AND ASHES GLORY professional rugby league so far,eight for Crusaders and four for Wales, so is still Aroon Fiaz –faces Bed- learning the game. However worth’s Connor Robson he has found it strange to be takes on the Yorkshire the “senior” player over new champion in the national signing Gareth Thomas. stages of the Junior ABA Thursday will see England star Jimmy Thomas’ first ever rugby Championships. Aroon will be hoping for league appearance in South better luck than his younger Wales and Kear has been brother Ammir who was proud to help out the great beaten by Worcester City man, 14 years his senior,as ABC’s Trent Smith on Sat- he learns his trade in the 13- urday.The contest, which man game. opened the show in Perdis- whistles into county “It’s all abit surreal well, Worcester,was tight really,” Kear admits. throughout but was edged “One of the first rugby by Smith. By JAMES GARRISON games that Iwent to at the “Wewere very disap- James Anderson, the Burnley Pink ball old Arms Park saw Gareth pointed with the decision as scoring alength of the field we thought we did just Express, whistled into Shropshire try against Australia. enough to win the contest,” yesterday ready to prove his fitness could make “I remember when he said Shrewsbury head coach signed for Cardiff Blues a Dave Robb. ahead of one of the biggest years in few years after that, he “Having spoken to Steve always played full-back for the history of English . switch to Wales and was in that posi- Brown (Worcester coach) England’s leading paceman has been strug- after the fight, he said he tion when they won the would not have been sur- gling with aniggling knee injury since return- Test arena Grand Slam. prised if we had been given ing from the winter tour of South Africa and sat “I’m afull-back and he’s Durham batsman Michael always aplayer that I’ve the win. We have asked for a out the recent visit to Bangladesh. Di Venuto believes the much- re-match which will on our looked up to as he’s achieved But 27-year-old Anderson has made encouraging hyped pink Kookaburra could so much in his home show on April 26, at progress in recent weeks and expects to make his comeback soon be ready for Test the Prostar Stadium.” career,sohim signing for the for in apre-season game against Durham Uni- matches –provided there is a Crusaders is massive.” versity on Saturday. small technical alteration with And that is the news all England followers want to hear the ball and awillingness for Roberts is ahead of a12month period which will see England attempt change among the players. to retain , take on and Bangladesh in Di Venuto had little trouble Els admits home Test series and compete in the Twenty20 and 50-over adapting to the new ball as he edged out World Cups. hit acommanding 131 on the “I can’t wait to come back on Saturday because it’s been first day of the floodlit county win boosts afrustrating time injury wise,” said Anderson, speaking at curtain-raiser against MCC in on points the Andrew Flintoff Cricket Academy being staged at Abu Dhabi. Team-mate Kyle The majority points deci- Shrewsbury School this week. Coetzer also scored acentury, confidence “I went to see aknee surgeon and he couldn’t put his fin- and resumed today on 123. sions continue to go against Ernie Els admitted yes- young Shrewsbury &Sev- ger on what the problem was at first. Although the county cham- “But I’ve had an injection and some rest and rehab and it pions’ stumps score of 329 for terday’s victory at atesting ernside boxer Jack Roberts. Arnold Palmer Invitational The 16-year-old was seems to have cleared it up. three suggests atale of bat “I’ve not bowled at match intensity yet so it will be inter- at Bay Hill was areal confi- beaten by Stoke’s Jack Price dominating ball, Di Venuto dence boost ahead of The at Burslem on asplit deci- esting to see how it copes with the stresses in agame, but has diagnosed one issue which Masters. sion, six days after losing in I’m pretty confident it will be fine.” needs to be resolved before the The 40-year-old South the ABA Junior Champi- Immediate challenges pink ball and lights combina- African completed asecond onships on the same verdict. tion graduates from first-class Such is the frenzy surrounding The Ashes, the build-up successive victory by surviv- “It was afast and furious trial to Test arena. ing atense finish to beat contest and was the best will start long before and his team arrive Down Under. “It was pretty easy to pick Italian Edoardo Molinari bout of the night,” said the ball up, especially at the and American Kevin Na by Shrewsbury &Severnside But Anderson insists it’s important not to lose focus of the more immediate challenges. start when it was really good,” two after the storm-hit head trainer Colin Hough. said the veteran Australian. event spilled into afifth day. “I thought Jack had the “Weknow what’s coming at the end of the summer and we can put that to the back of our minds,” he added. “My only concern with the Els, who resumed two better of the first two rounds pink ball is the seam. The ahead with four to play, and Price had the better of “The only way we will get some form for The Ashes is win- ning each game until then, so we need to focus on those. But seam uses agreen stitching lifted the WGC-CAChampi- the last.” which is pretty hard to see and onship in Miami by amuch There was also disap- it would be huge (to win an away Ashes series). more comfortable four-shot pointment for 11-year-old “My first experience of winning one came last summer if it was darker it would be pretty good. margin two weeks ago, but William Guest who lost a and that was fantastic. this win was afar nervier unanimous points decision “TodoitinAustralia would be even better.It’s not been “There’s no reason why it can’t work as long as the play- affair. to Stoke boxer,Jack Betney. done for awhile and Iwas there the last time when we lost “It feels an eternity “Betney was on top but 5-0 so we have apoint to prove as well.” ers go in with an open mind.” Australiaclaimed three because the last time Iwon Will was all heart and bottle But Anderson’s first international priority is next here was ‘98,” the South and went forward through- month’s Twenty20 World Cup in West Indies, atournament in the final session on day four of their Test against African said on www.skys- out,” added Hough. he believes England are finally ready to fulfil their potential ports.com. in. New Zealand to leave the “It was atough finish for “It’s agreat tournament to play in and Ilove the format home side struggling on 185 me –I’ve been thinking Joy for Bartoli so I’m looking forward to it,” added Anderson, who is keen for five at stumps at Seddon about these last four holes Marion Bartoli wasted lit- to pit his wits in the in future years. Park in Hamilton. for the last 22 hours, so it tle time in brushing aside “Wehave just been quite inconsistent which is the reason None of the New Zealand was nice to finally get on the top seed Svetlana we haven’t really progressed in many tournaments. But we line-up managed more golf course. Kuznetsova in the fourth have always had the ability to beat other teams.” than 30 runs in an “The changes (to the round of the Sony Ericsson For more information on the Flintoff Academy or to dominated by Mitchell John- course) are unbelievable, it Open in Miami. book aplace on future events, contact Activate Sport on son who collected 3-39. really tests your ability com- The 13th-seeded Italian 0800 345 7480 or visit www.co-operative.coop/activates- Australia earlier declared ing in. If you win here you defeated her Russian oppo- port.For more information on The Co-operative Food visit: Howzat! Twelve-year-old Richard Thomas gets aclose up of England fast on 511 for eight, setting New can feel comfortable in nent 6-3 6-0 in 56 minutes. www.co-operative.coop. bowler James Anderson, who paid avisit to Shrewsbury School yesterday Zealand 479 to win. majors.”