Blackpool cricket captain Paul Danson wary of 'dark horses' St Annes
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After a season of struggle, the Vernon Road club have made an excellent start to 2023 and are far from the only Fylde club who can make that boast.
Blackpool, Fleetwood and Lytham all top their respective leagues with 100 per cent records from completed matches after five weekends of cricket.
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Hide AdBesides Blackpool, St Annes are the NPCL's only other unbeaten side, though the fourth-placed club are 11 points off the pace after winning three and drawing two of their opening five.
And Danson has been impressed by a St Annes side captained by Nathan Bolus while Nathan Armstrong recovers from injury.
The Blackpool skipper told The Gazette: “St Annes are my dark horses. If you look at clubs who have won the title in recent years, they tend have four or five key players and others who come to the party when needed.
“I think St Annes are very much in that mould and they could go very close this year.”
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Hide AdSt Annes have benefited from getting their professional on board for the start of the season. Sri Lankan Yohan De Silva was their top scorer (with 44) in last weekend's 49-run win over Netherfield.
Blackpool, meanwhile are still awaiting a work visa for Indian pro Naushad Shaikh and are unable to engage a substitute until his documentation comes through.
Danson's side have progressed admirably without the all-rounder but have now lost the services of seamer Richard Gleeson, who is wanted by Lancashire now the short-format competitions are getting under way.
Lytham faced a similar delay over their Indian pro Akash Vashisht, who took 2-21 off 11 debut overs in last weekend's five-wicket win over Spring View in the Liverpool Competition.
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Hide AdLiverpool Comp leaders Wallasey head to Blackpool on Sunday in the second round of the ECB National Club Championship.
Wallasey's closest league challengers are Northern, who inflicted a 95-run defeat on Blackpool in the first round of the Lancashire Cricket Federation knockout.
TOMORROW'S CRICKET:
NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE (12.30): Blackpool v Penrith, Leyland v St Annes
LIVERPOOL COMPETITION FIRST DIVISION (12.0): Highfield v Lytham (Lytham 2 v Southport and Birkdale 2, 11.30)
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Hide AdPALACE SHIELD PREMIER DIVISION (1.0): Fleetwood v Croston, Kirkham and Wesham v Morecambe, Euxton v Great Eccleston, Torrisholme v Thornton Cleveleys.
DIVISION 1A (1.0): Fylde v Grimsargh
DIVISION 1B (1.0): Thornton Cleveleys 2 v Blackpool 2, Great Eccleston 2 v Leyland 2, Longridge 2 v Fleetwood 2
DIVISION 2 (1.0): Norcross v Torrisholme 2, St Annes 2 v Penwortham 3, Wrea Green v Ingol with Freckleton
SUNDAY
ECB NATIONAL CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP (1.0): Blackpool v Wallasey
PALACE SHIELD MEYLER CUP (1.30): Fylde v Kirkham and Wesham, Great Eccleston v Euxton, Barrow v Fleetwood, Carnforth v Thornton Cleveleys
PALACE SHIELD LOXHAM CUP (1.30): Kirkham and Wesham 2 v Great Eccleston 2, Norcross v Blackpool 2, St Annes 2 v Netherfield,
LIVERPOOL COMPETITION CHESTER CUP (12.0): Lytham 2 v Formby 2