YOU don't need a sight screen to see what the outstanding game of the Lancashire League opening day is.

The season is set to get off to a storming start tomorrow when last year's champions meet the runners-up.

Enfield, who finished second last season, host the side that has won the title in each of the last three years, Bacup.

There was a comfortable 40 points between the sides in the final 2002 table but Enfield will be hoping to pick up where they left off at the end of the campaign - they beat Bacup on the final day.

Both sides will be without their professionals tomorrow, however, with Bacup's Shaun Young being replaced by Ian Austin just for the first game.

Enfield's pro Martin Van Jaarsveld is touring with South Africa A and and will miss the first three games, with West Indian Franklin Rose replacing him.

New captain Gary Barker sustained an ankle injury ahead of the new season to further deplete Enfield.

Like all games in the Lancashire League, the action starts at 12.15pm.

BURNLEY V HASLINGDEN

TURF Moor could be the place to go if you want an indication of who Bacup's main challengers might be.

Haslingden will be looking to better last year's third position while Burnley are also harbouring top four aspirations.

Aussie Jerry Cassell will make his debut for the visitors, while Pierre Joubert will also be looking for a good start.

Burnley's South African paid player was the third highest runs scorer in last year's Lancashire League.

Ben Laws will lead the home side out for the first time as captain, while Haslingden have also been boosted by the addition of Steve Dearden, formerly professional at Radcliffe.

CHURCH V LOWERHOUSE

WHOEVER wins this clash on Sunday will take great confidence that they can avoid last year's lowly position.

However, the two teams that finished in the places above bottom side Accrington last year, already have fresh optimism for 2003.

There will be a buzz of anticipation at Blackburn Road when the home side come out to bat, and it mainly centres around Greg Mail.

Church's new Australian opener carries not only his bat but much expectation too, as he has been used to walking to the wicket with the likes of Michael Slater at New South Wales.

Church, though, will be happy if they can repeat last year's performance against Lowerhouse in the Worsley Cup, when they amassed a total of 325 runs, the highest team score of the entire season.

Lowerhouse also have high hopes for their pro, Ryan Harris, a former winner of the Bradman medal for the most outstanding player in South Australia grade cricket.

With that pedigree, hope are high he can make up for the loss of Jacques Rudolph, who scored 1121 runs last season to come second in the league batting averages table.

Other new signings Kamran Farooq, Quasim Ali, Jon Finch and Pete Mawdsley are also providing hope that Lowerhouse can carry off the first piece of silverware in their history.

EAST LANCS V NELSON

LANCASHIRE Evening Telegraph columnist Ian Austin has tipped Nelson to be one of the sides to keep an eye on this season as they look to improve on last season's fifth place.

It's important, therefore, that they have retained the services of Aussie pro Joe Scuderi.

He will be looking to pick up the pace of last season straight away at East Lancs, as he finished as the league's top batsman with a stunning average of 94.08.

So while Nelson are looking for more of the same, it's going to be all change at East Lancs.

And it has to be a the club will be looking for a good start against Nelson to shake off the cobwebs of last year when they finished an uncharacteristic 11th.

Helping them do this will be new captain Phil Mercer and Johann Louw, their new South African pro.

COLNE V TODMORDEN

THESE two sides finished slap bang in the middle of the Lancashire League at the end of last season, so tomorrow's clash will see both setting out to avoid such obscurity.

And once again, two new pros will be on show to delight the crowd at The Horsfield.

South Australia batsman Mark Higgins has joined the home side, who will be led out by Gary Laycock, resuming the captain's duties after a year's break.

But Colne might have to find some extra room on the scorecard to fit the name of Todmorden's new import - Gyanendrakumar Kedarnath Pandy.

Known as Gyan Pandey, he is a 30-year-old all rounder who has played twice for India in one-day internationals.

RAMSBOTTOM V ACCRINGTON

HOME supporters will be keen to see new pro Jason Arnberger in action, especially if his pre-season century against Walshaw is a form indicator.

After all, something special is needed to keep the crowds at Acre Bottom entertained after the departure of Michael Clarke, the scorer of last year's only double century in the Lancashire League.

New skipper Nick Riley will be looking for more consistency from the rest of the team as a whole, and a home game against Accrington could be a good time to start.

But the team that finished bottom last season with only four wins don't intend to be a pushover this time.

With a promising crop of youngsters and last year's 1,000 runs-scorer Andre Seymore back, the club is looking forward to an improved showing.

RAWTENSTALL V RISHTON

THE Worswick Memorial Ground stages a meeting of two sides that could go in opposite directions this season.

A loss of key players means Rishton will do well to maintain the form that propelled them to fourth last year.

Meanwhile, Rawtenstall, 10th last season, will have genuine title aspirations if they can improve their consistency.

Last year's skipper Andy Payne and new pro Mike Smith have shown that this can be achieved with centuries in their pre-season games last weekend.

Smith was particularly impressive, cracking 119 runs off just 72 balls against Lancaster on Sunday.