SPEEDWAY fans will be treated to a double header at Hayley Stadium on Sunday when one of Newport Wasps' favourite sons makes his eagerly-awaited return to the venue.

Australian star Craig Watson was part of the Wasps team which enjoyed a hugely successful 1999 season.

The Wasps finished as British Premier League runners up and Watson was stand-in skipper when the Wasps landed that year's Premier National Trophy by defeating Edinburgh Monarchs in a thrilling final.

Watson leads Aussie Kangaroos against a Great Britain Lions side in an international challenge match re-scheduled from October 7, when rain caused the meeting to be postponed.

The double header will start at 1pm with a Conference League meeting between Newport Mavericks and Buxton Hit-Men with the international challenge following on from that.

Watson joined Newport when the club was re-formed in 1997 and his popularity was arguably bettered only by cult-hero Anders Henriksson from Sweden.

But the Australian always fancied a crack at the Elite League and left Newport to join Poole Pirates.

* In the picture: Phil Morris, right, and Scott Smith.

Despite leaving him out of their side recently, the Dorset outfit claim Watson remains part of their long-term team plans.

The highlight of the Lions v Kangaroos clash should be the match-up between Watson and Reading Racers' Cwmfelinfach-based Phil Morris.

The Lions also name Wasps' Young England skipper Chris Neath and teenage reserve Rob Finlow, but club-mate Scott Smith is unavailable to ride for the Kangaroos.

Number one heat leader Scott Pegler, who recently lost his Conference League Riders' Championship title to Rye House's former Wasp David Mason, will lead a team which has four riders, including himself, who have ridden for the Wasps.

Buxton name former Newport Wasp Craig Taylor in their line-up, but they are forced to use the rider replacement facility for influential heat leader James Mann.

The Mavericks will bring the curtain down on Newport Speedway's 2001 season on Sunday, October 28, when they complete their Conference League campaign by entertaining Somerset Rebels at Hayley Stadium.

Newport Mavericks: 1 - Scott Pegler (c); 2 - Simon Walker; 3 - Rider replacement for Shane Colvin; 4 - Martin Williams; 5 - Rob Finlow; 6 -Tom Brown; 7 - Chris Hunt; 8 - Craig Gough.

Buxton Hit-Men: 1 - Dean Felton; 2 - Carl Mason; 3 - Robbie McNeil; 4 - Rider replacement for James Mann; 5 - Craig Taylor; 6 - Chris Collins; 7 - Paul Burnett (c). Start 1pm.

Great Britain Lions: 1 - Simon Stead; 2 - Adam Allott (both Sheffield Tigers); 3 - Phil Morris (Reading Racers); 4 - Rob Finlow (Newport Wasps); 5 - Oliver Allen (Swindon Robins); 6 - Chris Neath (Newport Wasps).

Australian Kangaroos: 1 - Craig Watson (Poole Pirates); 2 - Brendan Mackay (Reading Racers); 3 - Brett Woodifield (Trelawny Tigers); 4 - Dave Watt; 5 - Adam Shields (both Isle of Wight Islanders); 6 - Lee Redmond (Sheffield Tigers).

* Spectators who hold an admission ticket from the postponed Lions v Kangaroos meeting on October 7, can watch Sunday's double header on that ticket for no extra cost.