New skipper Nicky Boje is confident Northamptonshire can return to the top flight this season.
Steelbacks skipper upbeat despite double blow
Nicky Boje is confident that Northamptonshire can still realise their promotion dreams despite losing the services of two key components of their pace attack.
Kolpak duo Johannes van der Wath and Andrew Hall have both been barred by the England and Wales Cricket Board as a result of their recent appearances in the unsanctioned Indian Cricket League.
But new skipper Boje believes that fellow South African Johann Louw is more than capable of leading the Northants pace attack in their bid to regain promotion to the top division of both the LV County Championship and NatWest Pro40.
He said: "Our priority is still to move up and gain promotion in both of the main competitions.
"It is really disappointing to lose them [Van der Wath and Hall], but Johann Louw is joining us, and he had a good season back in South Africa.
Powerful
"He's a right-armer, in very much the same mould as Van der Wath. He can bowl long spells, and bat at seven or eight as well.
"He hits the wicket quite hard, and bowls in the 130kph region."
Louw and Boje plus Lance Klusener make up a powerful South African trio of all rounders for Northants as they begin their LV County Championship Division Two campaign against Essex at Chelmsford on Wednesday.
Boje believes the loss of his two frontline fast bowlers is an opportunity for English seamers David Wigley, Richard Logan and David Lucas to prove their worth.
He added: "It gives myself as captain a chance to get the best out of the other players, who now take on more responsibility. They must prove they can take the new ball."
Boje took over the captaincy after David Sales resigned in January to focus on breaking into the England side.
Shocked
Sales, 30, was the leading Northants run scorer last season with 1,384 runs at an average of 55.36.
"All I have to worry about is scoring runs, and you never know, I might get the phone call one day," said Sales.
"I gave the captaincy everything, but four years is enough and I didn't feel I could give it what it required this year."
Northants head coach David Capel admitted he was shocked at Sales' resignation but is confident that Boje is the right man to step into his shoes.
"It was a surprise. It came a little bit out of the blue. I now understand and support his decision," said Capel.
"With the young family he has got, and the burning ambition he has to play for England, he wants to give it every chance as a batsman and not have to think about everybody else."
