THE North Lancs League representative side have been fast-tracked to the semi-finals of the inter-league competition.

The League XI were due to face the Northern League into the first round of the competition at Furness CC this Sunday.

But Northern League chiefs – who are in the process of sorting out a major restructuring of their competition – have decided to withdraw their senior and Colts teams from the regional competition, meaning the North Lancs League have a bye to the semi-finals.

Now the North Lancs League XI will face the Ribblesdale League at Cherry Tree CC on Sunday July 10 as they look to emulate their success of two years ago when they shared the prize with the Liverpool and District Competition after the final was washed out.

Ironically the North Lancs League lost their grip on the trophy last year when they were beaten by the Northern League in a first-round clash at Furness.

There will still be representative cricket at Furness Park on Sunday however, as the North Lancs League Colts side take on the Bolton League in a rearranged group match (1.30pm).

Team selection, though, is causing a headache or two for league chairman Gary Postlethwaite.

He said: “I’m running around trying to get a team at the moment because we have had to rearrange the fixture at the last minute and there are players who have club matches.”

Because the Northern League have dropped out of the colts competition, the group stages now feature three teams per group rather than four.

As a result the losers of Sunday’s match will play the Ribblesdale League in their next game and this will be followed by an all-or-nothing match between the winners of that match and the victors in this Sunday’s encounter.

The big game in the North Lancs League tomorrow sees reigning Premier Division champions Furness looking to end leaders Workington’s 100 per cent start to the season.

Furness are in good shape following their derby win at Dalton on Monday when New Zealand professional Seth Rance destroyed the home side with seven for 26.

The Division One title race is shaping up to be an exciting one, with just nine points separating leaders Haverigg with fifth-placed Millom. The Poolsiders head to Kirkby tomorrow while second-placed Lindal go to Workington A.

In the Northern League fourth-placed Barrow will look to keep pace with the Division One front-runners as they travel to Morecambe.