CAPTAIN Steven Chilton is looking forward to the local rivalry that accompanies any Westhoughton versus Daisy Hill game tomorrow, but has no doubt the serious business will begin the following week.

Daisy travel round the corner to Westhoughton’s top quality ground tomorrow looking for the win in the third and final Peter Stafford Trophy group game that would see them qualify for the quarter-finals.

But Chilton has a bigger priority this year – to win promotion to play the likes of Westhoughton every week.

“It’s a local derby on Saturday and regardless of the competition – even a friendly against them – there’s plenty of spice,” he said.

“We want to win the game and we’re capable of it. We’ve dug out a couple of wins already in the cup and pulled off a bit of a shock against a Premier Division side so we know we’re good enough.

“We’ve got a serious amount of batting depth in the side and we’ve been playing with weakened teams while players have been out or finishing playing football.

“We’re in decent form and we’re getting players back just in time for when it matters next week when the league starts.”

Daisy Hill kick off their league campaign with a home game against a Little Lever side Chilton believes will probably be one of the chief contenders for a promotion place this season.

“Adil Nisar’s a massive signing for them,” he said. “He showed Farnworth what they’re missing last week with six wickets and plenty of runs against them and he’s scored 1,200/1,400 runs against teams in the higher division every year.

“We play Atherton away the second week who I think will be in the top half so those first two weeks could be a benchmark for where we’re going to be during the season.”

Chilton believes he has a solid core of a side who virtually write their own names in the starting XI in himself, openers Michael Chilton – Steven’s twin brother – and Mark Wood, all-rounders Stephen Pendlebury and pro Adnan Raees, and Jake Wilde with a number of players who can force their way into the side.

“Mark Wood played for Daisy Hill then left a couple of years ago to try his hand in the Liverpool Competition with Spring View,” he said.

“Like many players he got sick of all the travelling and has come back to Daisy Hill to play local cricket.

“He guarantees you 400 runs a season and is always up there in the wicketkeeping stats.

“With Michael we have a strong opening partnership, Raees is a good pro, Hodgkinson is an opening bowler by trade – one of the best left-arm amateurs in the two Bolton divisions who also scores you 30/35 runs in no time.

“Pendlebury has started well. He scored a chanceless 89 not out last week and his technique is superb, like a pro. He travels from Hull, where he’s at university, every week which shows his commitment.

“After that we’ve a few players like Darshan Varsani who can cement their place in the side by coming in and playing well.

“We bat a long way down but we’re open and honest about the fact we are a bowler shy. We’ve been turned down with about six overseas amateurs but we’re hoping to sign one soon and if we do he’ll be a bowler.”

Chilton is a big fan of the new Bolton League format of 20 clubs and two divisions, and does not believe the Bolton Association that his clubs had always played in should start up again as it is attempted to do.

“I am a big fan of the BCL (Bolton Cricket League),” he said.

“My personal opinion is it’s the future of Bolton cricket and the Bolton Association is the past.

“The Cross Cup has its history but the Association is just a name.

“It’s good that the Cross Cup has been started up again but the format in the BCL is good.

“I agree with Joey Pryle (Blackrod captain) when he said it’s good with 20 local teams [in The Bolton News].

“We’ve got the Peter Stafford Trophy, the Twenty20 competition, the league, the Lancs Knockout, the Hamer Cup and the Cross Cup. We hardly need any more cricket.”