Craig Cook back in action at Poole

Skipper Craig Cook will be back to spearhead Workington’s BSN Series challenge at Poole.

Cook has been out of the saddle for three weeks while he supported his partner who was going through a difficult pregnancy.

The baby has been born now and Cook was back in action last night as he helped Leicester qualify for the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership play-offs for the first time in the club’s history.

The Lions made it nine matches unbeaten with a 53-37 win over Oxford which guarantees their top four place, and took them second in the table.

Skipper Max Fricke led the way for the Lions with 13 points at the Pidcock Motorcycles Arena, Beaumont Park, whilst Ryan Douglas added 10+2 and Cook weighed in from reserve with 8 + 2 which included a race win and a retirement in his five rides.

The Comets will be delighted to have Cook back to lead the side at Poole where they were comprehensively beaten 61-29 in the Championship. Although Cook did have an unusually quiet night on that occasion.

Workington do have to use guests for their injured pair Tate Zischke and Claus Vissing.

Berwick’s Drew Kemp will come in for Vissing who suffered a broken right hand and dislocated left shoulder in a crash at Northside a couple of weeks ago.

The Dane has stressed he is “determined to be back fit for the play-offs” should we make it and is receiving ongoing treatment in his homeland Denmark.

Kemp has scored heavily at Poole during his recent visits, with a total points tally of 23+1 in two meetings there this season.

Familiar guest for the Comets this season and Redcar rider Jason Edwards will come in for Zischke on Wednesday night.

Edwards scored 12 points during Redcar’s visit to Poole back in June.

With the blisteringly strong form the hosts have shown this year – a blip in their season saw Poole’s home unbeaten run of 42 matches end to Oxford last Wednesday, from there the Comets will be hoping to catch the Pirates in a rut on Wednesday night.

Comets promoter and stand-in team manager for Wednesday night, Andrew Bain is out to avoid a repeat performance of Workington’s last visit to Poole.

“It was hugely disappointing down there last time, but we have definitely strengthened up at reserve since then with Paul [Starke] coming in. Also, the lads have been there now and should know more of what to expect coming into the meeting, plus Craig [Cook] had an unusually off night as he was having frequent machinery issues.”

“After Oxford’s result there last week there is no reason we can’t go and do the same – maybe catch them in the same rut as they were last week. But equally, Poole will be determined to avoid a similar performance.

“We’ve got two fantastic guests in Drew and Jason, who between them have scored 35 points in 3 meetings. If they do their job for us on Wednesday we should be in with a really good shout of getting a great result.

“However, to get a result at Poole on their home shale – it will need to be a solid one-to-seven performance from them all. We at least need to keep the aggregate score close for the second leg at Northside on August 31st.”

The Pirates’ only team change will be at number 7 with Redcar’s Ben Trigger coming in for Vinnie Foord who is injured.

In the other Semi-Final of the BSN Series, the Edinburgh Monarchs take on the Scunthorpe Scorpions in the first leg at Armadale on Friday night (23rd August).

Poole Pirates line-up: