SCOTT Nicholls will be riding for Ipswich Evening Star Witches after all.The 24-year-old patched up his differences with the Elite League club yesterday afternoon and was taking part in today's practice session at Foxhall Stadium.

By Elvin King

SCOTT Nicholls will be riding for Ipswich Evening Star Witches after all.

The 24-year-old patched up his differences with the Elite League club yesterday afternoon and was taking part in today's practice session at Foxhall Stadium.

The Witches skipper withheld his services yesterday when the club held its official press day. While the rest of the squad went through their paces, he remained in his workshop a mile up Foxhall Road.

A shocked Ipswich management put in calls to riders to see if they could find a late replacement, with asset Tomasz Gollob one possibility. Top American rider Greg Hancock was another considered.

However, it is all in the past now, with Evening Star columnist Nicholls saying today: "Everything has been sorted out.

"Ipswich director Magda Louis came round to see me yesterday afternoon and we sat down and thrashed out a solution.

"It is a relief to get back on track. I know people are saying that I am being greedy, but this is not the case.

"When I signed a contract I was under the impression it was for 40 matches and not 30. I want to ensure that I earn no less money this year than in 2002.

"I know that Ipswich have financial limits and can understand their position."

Yesterday it rained. It was cold. Their star rider failed to materialise.

Just an ordinary start to another Ipswich speedway season.

But it did prove more worrying than that for the Witches, as they faced the prospect of starting the season without a recognised

number one.

While the stalemate ensued, Ipswich were believed to have started the ball rolling to gain a new spearhead for their 2003 Elite League side.

Sources close to the club confirm that a couple of riders were spoken to, one of them believed to be Ipswich asset Gollob.

The Pole rode for the Witches in 1998, 1999 and part of 2000 and with his Polish League commitments not commencing until later next month he may well have been brought in.

Nicholls threatened to just ride in Poland, Sweden and the Grand Prix series, and also work for two or three days a week in a non-speedway capacity in England.

Ipswich were ready to lodge with the BSPA that Nicholls' was withdrawing his services so that they could have had a suitable guest for their first league fixture – at Coventry on Saturday week.

These speedway spats have a habit of sorting themselves out and Nicholls will now line up in the team when Ipswich open their season with a home challenge match against Swedish club Kaparna at Foxhall Stadium next Thursday.

The rider, tipped to be the next British world champion, has a big part to play for the Witches this

season.