All change for Berwick Bandits riders as they swap teams and recover from crashes

Drew Kemp rode for Oxford on Monday. Picture: Taz McDougallDrew Kemp rode for Oxford on Monday. Picture: Taz McDougall
Drew Kemp rode for Oxford on Monday. Picture: Taz McDougall
While it continues to be quiet on the track – their next meeting is not until July 24 – there has been no lack of activity for the Berwick Bandits’ riders.

Stand-in captain Lewis Kerr was dropped by his Premiership side, Oxford, over the weekend and replaced by Shielfield Park team-mate Drew Kemp in the Spires’ line-up.

Kemp made his debut for the Midlands side on Monday having dashed back from Poland and in his first heat faced Kerr – guesting for visitors Sheffield, who were without injured Grand Prix stars Tai Woffinden and Jack Holder.

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Kerr began the season in good form for both teams until being sidelined for six weeks by an ankle injury suffered riding in the Premiership.

His return was dogged by crashes which aggravated the injury and his scoring has only just started to pick up.

That wasn’t quick enough for Oxford, who texted the 32-year-old to tell him he was being replaced.

At the same time Kemp – surprisingly replaced at Leicester, a team run by his Berwick boss Stewart Dickson, earlier in the season – was taking a phone call from Oxford promoter and Berwick co-owner Jamie Courtney offering him Kerr’s spot in a side currently filling the fourth and final Premiership play-off spot.

“I didn’t see that one coming at all,” Kemp admitted.

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“When I saw that it was Jamie my first thought was ‘what the hell is he ringing for?’

“It’s tough on Lewis but that’s how it is for a speedway rider, you have to take your opportunities when they arise.”

Another Bandit looking for a new club is Bastian Borke.

The popular young Dane is currently sidelined and was back at hospital in Denmark on Monday undergoing more tests on his damaged knee and still awaiting a date for an operation on the damaged ligaments suffered at Poole.

Bastian, who was in fine form before a huge crash at Wimborne Road, has been struggling to get regular track time with Grindsted in his native Denmark and has now negotiated a cancellation of his contract.

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“It was a decision made before my injury and was necessary as I needed to be able to continue my development and I was not getting the rides I needed at Grindsted,” he said.

“I’m coming back strongly from this lay-off and want Danish clubs to know that I’m available when fit.”

Injured skipper Rory Schlein is up and about again after suffering a broken shoulder blade and fractured vertebrae in a crash at Scunthorpe early last month in what, he admits, was an innocuous looking crash.

“I’m all taped up, glued up and back in one piece, the main discomfort is from the soft tissue damage,” he explained.

“It didn’t look much...but it certainly hurt.

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“I’ve had scans and investigations done and it seems that I aggravated an old injury from last year that I wasn’t even aware of.

“Anyway, that’s the season done for me,” said the 39-year-old, who is carving out a second career as a commentator for speedway streaming service BSN.

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