NIGEL Heaton has taken the shock decision to resign as captain of Chorley Cricket Club.

Former skipper Roland Horridge has accepted an offer from club chairman Norman Poole to resume the captaincy and he will take charge of the team for the two weekend games at Windsor Park -- tomorrow's Northern Premier League match against Preston and the big National Knockout regional semi final against Darwen on Sunday.

Horridge stood down as skipper at the end of the 1998 season after guiding Chorley to two memorable Abbot Ale National Knockout cup final victories at Lord's.

A third appearance there as runners up in successive seasons, culminated in Chorley being rated "club of the 90s" by the ECB. The Windsor Park side also finished runners up in the Northern League in four consecutive seasons from 1995 to 1998.

Horridge said: "I've been 100 per cent behind Nigel but, at the same time, I like to lead from the front.

"Nigel feels his own form has been adversely affected this season. I must admit my own recent record has not been brilliant either.

"But I like to think I do respond well to pressure and it's my job now to pick up the pieces and get the team playing to its full potential again."

Poole added: "It has been entirely his own decision and that no pressure whatsoever has been put on him by the club.

"It isn't a knee-jerk reaction to two heavy defeats at the weekend either."

Second-placed Darwen go to Blackpool who were deposed as table-toppers last Saturday when they lost for the first time in the league this season.

Mark Bennett replaces the unavailable Mark Emery. Professional Keith Semple is ineligible on Sunday so Graham Ainslie comes in as the Birch Hall men look to set up an area final against Preston or Ribblesdale Wanderers.