OCKERT Erasmus believes ‘new teams and old friends’ can only be a good thing for the Lancashire League.

The league has recruited seven new clubs and many of them include pals of the South African all-rounder.

Crompton, Littleborough, Middleton, Milnrow, Norden, Rochdale and Walsden has seen the league expand to 24 teams and Erasmus says either one of them could replicate the success of Clitheroe and Darwen last year.

Clitheroe were crowned league champions while fellow newcomers Darwen lifted the Worsley Cup.

“I think expanding the league to 24 teams can only be a good thing,” said the Lowerhouse professional. “And I believe any one of the them could spring a surprise or two.

“They’ll come with a new style that we will have to get use to and then there will be the matter of playing at different grounds. When you look at what Clitheroe and Darwen did last year, I could see it possibly happening again.”

Erasmus has had a chance to check out the opposition with Lowerhouse’s first four matches against new teams - although the season opener against Rochdale was a wash-out.

“Walsden look like a decent side,” he said. “They beat us at their place and have started the season very well.”

The new teams takes the total of South Africans plying their trade in the league up to eight and Erasmus is happy to see some familiar faces.

Aubrey Swanepoel (Crompton), Thomas Kaber (Littleborough), Niel Hornbuckle (Milnrow), Ed Moore (Rochdale), Ernett Kemm (Bacup), Calvin Strange (Rawtensall) and Keegan Petersen (Darwen) all hail from Erasmus’ homeland.

“From a personal point of view, it is good to see some old mates and get the chance to speak a bit of Afrikaans,” he added. “I played with Keegan in the same provincial side, Boland, so it is always great to meet up with him.”