Farnworth captain Simon Booth says he heads into the inaugural North West Cricket League campaign this weekend expecting the unexpected.

The Bridgeman Park wicketkeeper-batter has played 20-plus years of first-team cricket but admits to being as excited as ever following the merger between the old Bolton and Ribblesdale Leagues.

Booth’s charges begin the 24-team, 23-round competition when they host Blackburn side Feniscowles on Saturday (1pm).

“With the new teams, new format, new grounds, new committees, new people, it’s really reinvigorated everything,” he said.

“The last few years of the Bolton League felt a bit weird really. You could sense something like this was going to happen. The phrase, ‘A death by a thousand cuts’ was mentioned a few times with clubs leaving.

“But now we know what’s happening - who we’re playing, where we’re travelling to, etc - there’s a real element of excitement.”

Booth continued: “I reckon there are 10 clubs who’ve said, ‘Do you know what, we can win this?’

“In 23 years of playing first-team cricket, I can’t think of a season where you could name more than three who had a genuine chance. This year, who knows?

“I know nothing about Settle, who have been Ribblesdale champions for the last four years, for example, and they’ll know nothing about Farnworth. That’s why it’s so exciting.

“There will definitely be some results you don’t expect.”

Farnworth finished fourth in the Bolton League last season and won their last title in 2017. They’ve had a couple of second-placed finishes in between.

But it’s for the reasons mentioned above why Booth can only admit to a “quiet confidence” in his side’s chances of starting the new competition with silverware.

“We’re always a strong team with a strong nucleus of players who’ve been with us for a while,” he said.

“We’ve got Milinda Siriwardana coming back as pro, but he’s missing the first couple of games due to visa issues. I also have a young Indian fast bowler as overseas amateur, Yatin Mangwani. He’s arrived and will start the season.

“We’ve made a few signings. Alex Rodzoch has come from Tonge and Tayler Heyes from Kearsley. But we’ve lost a few as well.”

The 24 teams - 13 from Ribblesdale and 11 from Bolton - all play as one division this season before splitting into two 12s from next season.

Booth believes Settle, Read and Padiham will be teams to watch from Ribblesdale, while he expects Kearsley, Farnworth Social Circle and Little Lever to join Farnworth in challenging from Bolton.

He added: “Little Lever have signed Jake Lehmann as pro, and that’s a massive signing for the league.

“There have been some really good pros signed, but he’s the standout as the current South Australia captain.

“His dad (Darren) has already tweeted wishing Little Lever and his lad good luck. He’ll be a huge talking point, but I think there’ll be a few others as well.

“I got a text message the other day from the chairman at Clitheroe saying, ‘What’s your plan against Jake Lehmann?’

“People who have nothing to do with the NWCL have already taken note and are asking questions. That kind of thing shows we mean business.”

Lehmann is due to debut for Little Lever on April 29 when they host Earby.

Round One fixtures: Walkden v Atherton, Brinscall v Astley Bridge, Baxenden v Padiham, Eagley v Settle, Tonge v Whalley, Salesbury v Farnworth SC, Blackrod v Barnoldswick, Lostock v Earby, Cherry Tree v Little Lever, Farnworth v Feniscowles, Oswaldtwistle Immanuel v Ribblesdale Wanderers, Read v Kearsley.