ASK any pro if they think their side can win the league and they will invariably say yes - particularly the ultra-confident Aussies.

But ask that question to Enfield pro Martin van Jaarsveld - who may have more reason than most to be confident about his side's chances this year - and he is far more reserved.

The Dill Hall Lane side top the league after five matches. They have won four of those five - including a morale-boosting win over East Lancs, who finished second last season - to lead champions Bacup by one point.

But Van Jaarsveld is not getting carried away. The South African, who scored 1,341 runs last year which was bettered only by Rawtenstall pro Matthew Mott, said: "We are pleased to be top of the box and hopefully we can carry that on.

"But maybe we have been fortunate to pick up some results along the way.

"We were quite fortunate turning the game around against Nelson when they were 86-1 chasing 114 and we bowled them out for 112."

In the Nelson game, Van Jaarsveld scored just three and took three wickets and agreed that it is the sign of a good side when the pro doesn't perform and they still win.

"We certainly snatched victory from the jaws of defeat," said the 26-year-old, who plays for Northern Titans in South Africa.

"We got the pro and Paul Garaghty out and then I think they started to panic a little bit.

"We took some wickets in quick succession and had a bit of luck.

"It is great to be at the top but our team is still very young. And then the younger guys go abroad on their holidays and we may struggle when that happens!

"You can't blame them for wanting to go away in the summer and hopefully we can carry on the good cricket when they are away.

"We have to give ourselves the best chance by playing well when everyone is here.

"It would be great to win the league and in this league anything can happen.

"It is very open. Any team can beat any other."

Van Jaarsveld, who has scored 277 runs this season and taken 21 wickets, says it is not just down to him that the team are doing so well.

"Mas Ahmed and Kas Shazad have come back to the club from Accrington and that has lifted the batting.

"Unfortunately they can mostly only play Sundays.

"But there have been other changes since last year. The side are a year older, more experienced, and more used to me.

"They have come more accustomed to the way I play."

But despite an average of 55 so far this season - lagging slightly behind last year's average of 79 - Van Jaarsveld is still not happy with his run rate.

"I don't think a batter ever scores as many runs as he wants," he said.

"I am happy with my game though."

But he doesn't think this season's target will come near to Conrad Hunte's 1959 tally of 1,437 - the number he was trying to reach last season before falling well short of his last-day target of 88.

"I'd like to beat the record but because of the World Cup most of the South Africans have to go home early.

"It would be nice to get close but I won't be able to play the last two or three weeks so I don't think I will break it."