HORWICH have sent out a message to their Premier Division rivals with their impressive start to the season.

But captain Phil Ingram knows they must maintain their current level of performance if they are to continue doing so.

The Recreation Ground men had an outstanding weekend last week when they beat two strong fellow BCL Premier Division sides in Kearsley and Bradshaw by eight and seven wickets, respectively.

That followed three straight wins in the Peter Stafford Trophy – of which they are the holders – with their only blemish coming in between when Lostock beat them in the Dixon Air Conditioning Twenty20 competition.

Ingram, who has led the team with some fine individual form, has every faith in the talents of a side boasting a true balance of youth and experience.

Players like himself, pro Brett Pelser and opening bowler Liam Bones have played consistently at a high level for many years and offer fine examples to developing talents like Tom Billington, Harry McManus and brothers Marcus and Lewis Haydock – players who, despite their youth, have already got plenty of first-team experience under their belts.

Billington, who stuck with Horwich last season after attracting envious glances from elsewhere, showed his class with the bat last Saturday with two knocks of 47 – the second unbeaten against Bradshaw in the Lancashire Knockout.

Ingram also points to the arrival of Dean Morris from Clifton in the winter as a big factor in his side’s confident start.

“He has started off really well,” said the captain. “He’s fit in really well and is great for the team.

“He’s added depth to our batting and we’re hoping to add some more soon with an overseas which has nearly gone through.

“More batting is what we’re missing. The ability is there in the team but with a couple of lads they need to push on and get some momentum with their batting.”

Ingram has no such reservations about his side’s bowling.

“Our bowling unit is really tight,” he said.

“We’ve got six first-team bowlers and they can’t all bowl all the time.

“It will be difficult keeping everyone happy but they all know their jobs.

“They all stick by me and they respect the decisions I make.

“It’s my job to manage it and sometimes people won’t be bowling.

“I haven’t bowled in one game and Brett didn’t bowl in one game which shows the depth we have in bowling.

“Brett excels with both bat and ball, Liam is our opening bowler and says this is his last season but that remains to be seen.

“If he carries on playing as well as he is it would be a shame to finish.

“Our younger players are doing well too. Lewis Haydock is bowling well, Harry McManus – a left-arm spinner – likewise, Dean Morris does a bit of off spin.

“Marcus Haydock keeps for us but he can do anything – bowl left-arm, right hand, bat – he’s a phenomenal talent.

“Tom Billington is batting really well and starting to realise his potential.

“We’ve started well but we’ve got to carry it on.

“We can do both sides of the game which means on our day we are going to be dangerous.”

Horwich, who visit Eagley in the league tomorrow before hosting Golborne in the Hamer Cup on Sunday, have already proved dangerous and Ingram says they cannot afford to take their foot off the pedal for a moment if they are going to continue that way against the high standard of competition in the Premier Division.

“The majority of teams have got match-winners,” he said, acknowledging tomorrow’s opponents’ pro Agha Salman is one.

“Each pro can win a match, that’s why they’re there. And there are plenty of others, like Chris Barrow at Farnworth Social Circle who, if he gets in, can take a game away from you.

“Those are the capabilities of these players, so there’s no let-up. We are in a game every game in this division which is what you want.

“You don’t want easy games, you want games you have to work hard to win.

“You can’t let up, you’ve got to be looking to get a little bit of momentum and when you get it you have to take it into the next game.

“That’s all I want from my team, that they make it so people are going to have to play well to beat us.”

Tomorrow’s fixtures

Premier Division: Eagley v Horwich, Farnworth v Bradshaw, Kearsley v Farnworth SC, Lostock v Heaton, Westhoughton v Walkden.

Association Division: Adlington v Darcy Lever, Astley Bridge v Little Hulton, Atherton v Daisy Hill, Blackrod v Golborne, Tonge v Little Lever.

Sunday

Hamer Cup: Blackrod v Westhoughton, Horwich v Golborne, Bradshaw v Daisy Hill, Darcy Lever v Astley Bridge, Farnworth v Walkden, Kearsley v Eagley, Atherton v Heaton, Adlington v Farnworth Social Circle.