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BERWICKS Nicky Barrett has suffered a compression of vertebrae in a freak accident whilst on a skiing holiday in Austria.Barrett, a popular mid-season addition for the Border club last season, has been order to take total rest for eight weeksand is therefore hopeful of taking his place in the Bandits line-up for their opening fixture at Edinburgh on March 29.Barrett said: I wasnt even on the piste, Id taken off my skis and was walking through snow, which suddenly gave way under my feet, and I sort of avalanched downwards about 30 metres, ending up slamming backwards into a tree!Fortunately, speedway has taught me to protect myself, and I was wearing a back protector, like I do on my bikeand that saved me from something a lot worse, I think.(SPEEDWAY 2)
LOCAL rivals Leicester and Coventry are to clash for the East Midlands Bowl in the first fixture of the season at Beaumont Park on March 16.The event was a regular season-opener during the Lions previous era when the two clubs were in the same division, and the Bees are to take their Elite League line-up to face their Premier League neighbours.Leicester promoter David Hemsley said: It is great to resurrect the East Midlands Bowl competition and the traditional rivalry from these two clubs who are full of history. This will be the first time in the modern era of Leicester Speedway that the two teams have come face to face on a full one-to-seven basis, and it is fantastic we have that opportunity here at Leicester. It is an excellent way to start our 2013 campaign, and it continues to demonstrate that Leicester Speedway is fully committed to operating at the highest level of competition.
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ANDREW Tully, Kevin Doolan and Rusty Harrison have been added to the line-up for Somersets third attempt to stage the Christmas Cracker next Friday.The meeting has twice been postponed due to the weather and co-ordinator Garry May has confirmed the changes with Steve Worrall and the Wright brothers, James and Charles, unable to compete from the planned January staging.May said: We have tried to stay loyal to the riders that were due to ride in Januarys attempt to run the meeting, but a few changes have been forced upon us.It is a bit ironic really in that Andrew was a member of the original field put together for Decembers staging of the event, but then wasnt able to make Januarys re-staging, and here he is now back in the line-up.LINE-UP: Ricky Ashworth (Berwick), Ben Barker (Ipswich & Birmingham), Lewis Bridger (Lakeside), Kevin Doolan (Leicester), Ryan Fisher (Peterborough), Richard Hall (Sheffield), Rusty Harrison (Workington), Ritchie Hawkins (Unattached), David Howe (Scunthorpe), Lewis Kerr (Leicester & Kings Lynn II), Simon Lambert (Rye House), Ashley Morris (Workington & Dudley), Kyle Newman (Somerset), Lewis Rose (Unattached), Jacob Thorssell (Wolverhampton), Andrew Tully (Newcastle).
