Skipper Tony Atkin is now a Newport asset following an exchange deal with Stoke involving Cwmbran rider Tom Brown.

The 20-year-old Brown, who will be riding for Weymouth in the Conference League this season, asked Newport promoter Tim Stone for a transfer when he was overlooked for the vacant reserve berth in the Premier League seven, Australian Karlis Ezergailis being given the nod.

Stone said: "I am delighted to have Tony as a Newport asset. When I spoke to him about it he was delighted and he told me that he did not want to be anywhere else. And at the same time, I wish Tom all the best in the Potteries."

But Brown will be in action at Newport on Easter Monday in the ground-breaking representative clash when Wales meet the American 'Dream Team' at the Hayley Stadium (tapes up 1.0pm). And after his final race Brown will be zooming off to Weymouth for a round of the British Under-21 championship. Newport's Karl Mason and Sam Hurst ride in the Scunthorpe leg of the championships on April 10.

And Brown will have an advantage over his Welsh teammates because Weymouth ride against the Americans on Friday. They start their British tour with a meeting at Stoke tonight.

To maintain the all-Welsh flavour, the experienced Phil Morris, who switched from Reading to Newcastle in the winter, will be Welsh team manager.

Stone said: "It is a one-off occasion. We have never had a seven-man Wales team. It has never been achievable in the past and I don't see it happening again and I am proud to do it.

"Phil asked me at Somerset last Friday if he could manage the team. The Americans are an unknown quantity but the meeting has an air of expectation about it because nothing like it has ever happened at Newport."

Wales: Tony Atkin (captain), David Tutton, Tom Brown, Darren Hatton, Jamie Westacott, Russell Barnett, Matthew Tutton.

American 'Dream Team': Shaun Harmiatuk (captain), Tim Gomez, TJ Fowler, Dario Galvin, Chris Kerr, Brian Starr, Neil Faccini. No 8: Dale Faccini.

l Phil Morris, riding for an ex-Reading team against the current seven on Monday night, scored 11 points - including double second-place points from a tactical ride - from five rides while Jamie Westacott collected a third place in his first ride. Reading gained a 61-34 win. Mathieu Tressarieu scored a paid ten points from four rides.

l Newport have their first home double header of the season on Sunday, firstly against Rye House in the Premier Trophy followed by a meeting between the two clubs in the Conference League (tapes-up 2.30pm).

lNewport's Dane Mads Korneliussen, riding at reserve for Swindon in the Elite League on Monday night, scored three points from as many rides in a 40-32 defeat, the meeting abandoned after 12 heats, but the result stands. The busy Korneliussen will be involved in the Elite League derby at home to Oxford tomorrow (7.30pm) and the return on the following day (noon tapes up).