Mattie McKiernan is ready for a full season with Leigh – though he hopes he won’t have too much work to do.

His 15 games last season were the most the all-rounder has managed in the Comp since 2017, and his 743 runs his best ever return in the league.

Now, having drawn the curtain on his county career, the former Derbyshire man has a key role to play with both bat and ball for Finn Hulbert’s title hopefuls.

But if Leigh’s seam attack of Hulbert, Paddy Allan, Adam Shallcross and Louis Johnson can do what they do best, McKiernan may find there’s not much call for his leg-breaks.

Ahead of tomorrow’s delayed curtain-raiser at Wallasey, he said: “I’ve always bowled a fair number of overs and I think it’ll be similar this year.

“But in the last few years, our seamers have been brilliant. 

“Their performances over the past year or two have been brilliant, they’ve set the standard right from the off. 

“I’ll have a few overs to bowl, but hopefully not as many as I could, if it means the seamers are bowling well up top. 

“Their impact is going to be massively important.”

As a senior player, ex-pro and coach, McKiernan knows what’s expected of him this season.

“I’m really looking forward to the season getting going,” he said.

“I still love playing cricket and I’m looking forward to getting stuck in – week in, week out, Saturdays and Sundays. 

“It’s nice to be able to give that commitment for the whole season.

“My role is to get the best out of myself to help the team, and get as many results for Leigh as possible.”

McKiernan was the star of Leigh’s first and only Liverpool Competition title win, in 2016, with 570 runs and 66 wickets.

They’re widely ranked among the favourites this time round, and the 29-year-old is keen to do his bit.

He said: “It’s going to be really important how we start, I think that’s going to dictate our plans. 

“Finn may have other ideas as to what he’s looking for, I think we’re on a similar wavelength and we know if we play well, we can go really far. 

“But it’s crucial that we start well.”