SURPRISE package Darwen leave their Northern League commitments to one side this weekend content in the knowledge that they are sitting proudly at the top of the table.

Darwen go into Saturday's Vaux Sampson Cup tie at home to derby rivals Preston with a record of three wins and a draw from their opening four league games.

They have already equalled last season's tally of maximum points victories and are half-way to the total number of wins they achieved in the whole of last season.

New professional Richard Petrie has played a large part in the encouraging start, with two half-centuries and a clutch of wickets to his name already.

But the New Zealander is quick to share the responsibility for the club's change in fortunes.

"I think they were third from bottom last year and I wasn't sure how we would go this year, but so far, things have gone really well," he said.

"I've done reasonably well but it's more about the guys in the team who have transformed themselves from last year, and it seems a lot happier.

"We have just put some good systems into place and the guys are very receptive to new ideas and trying to improve.

"We want to try and keep improving each week and think about our cricket in an intelligent way. "We are trying to build a platform and whether we finish first or wherever, hopefully at the end everyone can say they are better than at the start. And if that's the case we will do alright."

Darwen's cause was undermined last year by problems with the professional's post.

Indian all-rounder Nikhil Chopra didn't stay long due to international commitments.

And by the time Peter Sleep arrived with a flurry of runs, the Birch Hall club was facing an uphill struggle.

This time, however, they appear to have struck lucky in recruiting Petrie.

The Wellington captain comes off the back of a successful domestic season and has had previous spells in club cricket in Sussex and Paisley.

"I knew what I was coming to. A lot of guys turn up and complain that the pitches aren't bone hard or you can't run in. But it's no good complaining, you have to adapt to do well in the conditions," he added. Petrie was the top wicket-taker in New Zealand's one-day competition over the winter and also averaged around 35 with the bat.

But that wasn't quite enough to deny Darwen of his services.

"I wanted to make the World Cup team and I think my results were good but they don't tend to go for older guys, who have stayed in the game as long. If I had been 25 I might have been in the squad," he said.

Darwen, under new captain Jeff Hacking, have beaten Kendal, Leyland and Chorley in the league and will start against Preston as favourites to advance to a second round meeting with Morecambe or Leyland Daf.

Preston have also shown a tremendous early season improvement after failing to win a game last summer.

But Petrie is determined to keep Darwen on a roll.

"You have got to guard good form jealously. You fight hard enough to get it so you've got to hold onto it with both hands when it comes," he said.

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