NETHERFIELD captain Marc Brown says he is confident his side can get off to a good start after the 2013 Northern Premier League cricket fixtures were announced.

The Parkside Road outfit travel to St Annes for their first game of the season, and he expects his side to get off to a rip-roaring start as they look to mount a serious challenge for the title this season.

“I am confident of us going there and winning to start the season off,” said newly-installed captain Brown.

“Hopefully by then we’ll be raring to go with a few new additions and I’m looking forward to the season starting.”

Trophies are important for ‘Field this summer, according to Brown, and it is the cup competitions which he is particularly looking forward to in 2013.

“I want to bring some silverware to this club and the league cup is a realistic one I really think we can win.

“We’re in three competitions and we want to do as well as we can in all three of those competitions.”

Meanwhile Kendal have been handed a tricky run-in towards the end of the 2013 season.

Their last three games begin at home to champions Fleetwood before they take on two tough away games against Leyland and Morecambe, but Kendal skipper Chris Miller isn’t fazed by those matches.

“It’s not the easiest of run-ins but if we’re there or thereabouts we have a shout of pushing for honours this year,” said Miller.

“Hopefully this year we will have a professional throughout the season and obviously that stand us with a better chance against those teams, but you need to beat the best teams to win the league anyway.”

Miller, who has played for Kendal since 2004 with a two year spell at Netherfield in 2008 and 2009, said he was disappointed that both Kendal derbies were not taking place on Bank Holidays.

With Carnforth dropping into the Westmorland League, only one Bank Holiday fixture has been scheduled for 2013, so the two Kendal-based sides will face off on Bank Holiday Monday, May 27 at Parkside Road, and Saturday, August 10 at Shap Road.

“It’ll be weird having that game on a Saturday - it’s not been on a Saturday since I started playing.

“I don’t think as many people will be there, which is a little bit sad, but Kendal versus Netherfield games are always big games so I’m sure it’ll be a great encounter.”

Kendal begin their campaign against Chorley, which Miller says he is a game which ‘could go either way’, with Kendal’s opponents having finished in the top three two seasons ago but struggling near the foot of the table in 2012.

Barrow are the side Kendal face in their second game of the season.

Miller has confirmed that Ryan Nelson has signed for the club from Carnforth, and he will open the batting for the Shap Road side next season.