Last updated at 14:02, Friday, 11 June 2010

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FOUR Furness players will be aiming to make home advantage count when the North Lancs and Cumbria League representative side begin their 2010 campaign on Sunday.

Spinner Stuart Horne, paceman Pete Lawson, all-rounder Mark Daly and batsman Glenn Capstick have all been selected in the team to play the Bolton League at Furness Park in the first round of the Kookaburra Reader Inter-League Competition (1.30pm start).

A semi-final place against either the Bolton Cricket Association or the Lancashire County Cricket League awaits the winner.

It’s four years since the North Lancs and Cumbria outfit, then led by Millom batsman Stuart Swallow, last lifted the silverware.

Five of the side that beat the Bolton Association in the 2006 final – Daly, bang-in-form Millom duo Ryan Brown and Simon Bickerstaffe, Matthew Gorley and Kristian Moffat – have been named in Sunday’s line-up.

The side will be skippered by Penrith’s Nicky Burns, with Workington wicketkeeper Callum Moffat and Cockermouth spinner/batsman Chris Hodgson making up the rest of the side.

The past three years have seen the North Lancs and Cumbria outfit beaten in the semis (2009), the final (in 2008 against Sunday’s opponents, the Bolton League), and the quarter-finals (2007).

Horne, skipper of last season’s treble-winners Furness, said: “It’s good for the club that we have four players representing the senior side on our home ground. Hopefully we can make a contribution to winning the game.”

The league’s under-18s representative side also begin their 2010 campaign on Sunday.

The talented teens go to Farnworth to play the Bolton League in the first of three round-robin fixtures.

The side will be skippered by Furness batsman Scott Pearcey.

“We’re really pleased for Scott that has been asked to skipper the under-18s,” said Horne.

“He’s played for that side for quite a few years now and played a decent amount of first team cricket too. I’m confident he’ll do well leading the side for the first time.”

The under-18s narrowly missed out on qualifying for last year’s final following the round-robin stage. They last won the competition in 2005.

Among those under the stewardship of Pearcey this Sunday will be Haverigg wicketkeeper Drew Postlethwaite, Millom pair Robert Thompson and Paul O’Callaghan, Lindal Moor duo Eddie Waind and Jack Cumberbatch and Kirkby pace ace Ryan Tyson.

There is a full fixture list across the three-tier North Lancs and Cumbria League tomorrow, with most teams probably eager to get matches wrapped up before England’s first game in the football World Cup at 7.30pm.

Premier Division table-toppers Furness entertain fourth-bottom Whitehaven.

Horne said: “We’ve had a decent league run of late, beating some leading sides in Millom at home and both Workington and Cleator away. That means we’ve put ourselves back challenging towards the top end of the table again.

“We’re conscious that there is still a long way to go and that there will no doubt be quite a few ups and downs to come.

“We have to stay focused and keep making ourselves a difficult team to beat. Whitehaven have been posting some decent totals lately and have a pro (Zimbabwean Ryan Butterworth) in form, so we won’t be taking them lightly at all.”

Struggling Vickerstown will hope to break their duck at home against Cleator. The Rainey Park outfit are the only top-flight club still without a win this term.

Kirkby host high-flying Penrith in what should be a cracker at the Community Centre.

Northern League Barrow, meanwhile, travel to Netherfield tonight for their second game in this season’s Northern League T20 Cup. Tomorrow they visit Fleetwood for a league fixture.

First published at 13:04, Friday, 11 June 2010
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk