MEL GILLIBRAND is a man on a mission - to bring back the good times to Blackburn Northern.

The Pleckgate Road side have started in fits and starts this season - one heavy defeat, one heavy down pour denying them victory - but Gillibrand will be looking to guide his side to their first win against Padiham on Saturday.

And Northern's most experienced player is looking further afield with an aim of topping last season's finish of a top six spot.

"You can't take anything out of those opening games," said Gillibrand, with 20 years under his belt, Northern's longest serving player. "Losing heavily against Read was a bitter disappointment and we only bowled seven overs against Barnoldswick last weekend due to the weather. Unfortunately the weather plays a major factor at this time of the season."

Now in his second spell as skipper, having led Northern between 1985-91 and a member of the Ribblesdale League championship-winning team in 1981, Gillibrand has been around long enough to judge a side's championship credentials.

He added: "People may think it is a two horse race between Earby and Read for the championship but if we have a good start to the season there is no reason why we can't be up there."

After last weekend's brief outing, experienced Indian pro Chetan Sharma - who missed the opening day defeat at Read - will be hoping for a lengthy run out this weekend. Fixtures: Saturday; Baxenden v Osw Immanuel, Blackburn N v Padiham, Cherry Tree v Clitheroe, Earby v Ribblesdale W, Edenfield v Settle, Read v Barnoldswick, Whalley v Gt Harwood.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.