CORSHAM skipper Neil Shardlow could be looking to Australia or New Zealand to boost his attack next season.

Shardlow faces losing Gloucestershire bowler Roger Sillence and is considering the future of Indian Kaushik Aphale as the club's overseas player.

He said: Nothing is decided yet. We will wait until the season is over and look at the possibilities.

"We have a few irons in the fire with contacts in New Zealand and Australia. Kaushik has done well for us considering he arrived late because of via problems.''

Sillence, who is a full-time professional with Gloucestershire, could move on during the winter, although under an agreement with the county Corsham will be offered another player. If Sillence is not offered another year's contract he will have to seek one elsewhere.

Said Shardlow: "I don't know what is going to happen. We don't want to lose Roger because he has been great for us this year.''

Aphale has scored more than 350 runs and taken 20 wickets this season and added another 72 runs to his total in Saturday's comfortable seven wicket win over Thornbury.

It was the club's second on the run after two winning draws and moves them above mid-table.

Thornbury were put into bat and restricted to 161 all out in the 53rd over. Paul Clifford with 4-28 and Richard Foley, with 3-46 did the damage for the home side. Craig Chaplin weighed in with 2-11 and Aphale took 1-30.

The Indian's cool 72 led the Corsham reply, backed by 29 apeice from Foley and Steve Copeland.

Shardlow is delighted with the way his side's fortunes have improved after flirting with relegation earlier in the season.

He said: "We have been inconsistent but we've shown what we can do in certain games. Getting a winning draw against Bath was the big result for us and that gave us confidence.'

"I'll be really pleased to finish above mid-table, I think it shows we have had a decent season.''

Huge plusses for the side has been the emergence of Tom Abott, 18, and Peter Dennett, 22 as openers.

"It is tremendous to have them coming through and it gives us a good platform for next season,'' he said.

Corsham end their season with a trip to champions Cheltenham on Saturday.