ALL-ROUNDER Mark Daly has returned to his cricketing roots and in doing so boosted Furness CC's hopes of reclaiming the North Lancs League Premier Division title.

Daly learned his trade at Furness Park and help them win lots of silverware at junior and senior level before joining Lindal Moor in 2013, where he played for the past four seasons under the captaincy of his former Rams team-mate Paul Wilcock.

Now the North Lancs League Senior XI regular is going back at his old stomping ground as Scott Pearcey's side bid to knock treble winners Workington off their lofty perch.

The West Cumbrians went through the entire 2016 season undefeated as they claimed a magnificent Premier Division, Higson Cup and County Cup treble, and denied Furness a seventh top-flight title in eight years.

But with Daly returning to Furness - along with fellow new signing Barrow CC batsman Sam Dutton - Workington will face stiff competition to claim the silverware in 2017.

Explaining his decision to return to Oxford Street, 28-year-old Daly said: "I just wanted to have another crack in the Premier Division and I felt Furness was the obvious choice as I played there before and all my mates are still there.

"I enjoyed my time at Lindal and unfortunately we didn't go up last year (Moor just missed out on promotion to the Premier Division) so I felt the time was right to make the change, especially with Wilco stepping down as skipper this year."

He added: "I'm looking forward to the season, playing under Scotty. I'll be looking for us to win some silverware. We will hoping to beat Workington to the title and also having a couple of good cup runs."

The arrival of talented Barrow and Cumberland Minor Counties player Dutton is also a massive plus for Pearcey's squad as they will look to get back among the major honours in what will be the club's 125th anniversary year.

Also boosting the Furness ranks is promising Lindal youngster Harris Woods - brother of batsman Brad Chapples.

Pearcey's deputy skipper will be vastly experienced paceman Pete Lawson, while all-rounder Sam Stephens will lead the seconds, with his vice captain the batsman-wicketkeeper Sam Hilton.

Furness have also entered an academy side into the Furness Cricket Association Wednesday night competition, which be made up mainly of under-19s players to run alongside the club's U19s Twenty-20 side.