BURSCOUGH captain Lee Berrie believes that a more positive approach has been one of the keys to his team’s success this season.

The School Lane side lie third in the Second Division of the Bridging Finance (NW) Liverpool Competition and go into tomorrow’s clash against leaders St Helens Recs having clocked up five wins in nine league games.

“We weren’t aggressive enough in our batting or bowling last year,” said Berrie as he sought to explain why Burscough finished 13th out of the 14 clubs in the 2009 First Division.

“That’s changed this season, although it also helps that our New Zealand professional Brendan Domigan is one of the best players in the division. He’s certainly the best bat and he’s a more than useful bowler.”

The statistics certainly back up the skipper’s judgement about Domigan’s batting prowess. The Kiwi has hit five fifties and one hundred in his eight innings this year, and his 54 not out in Burscough’s nine-wicket demolition of Parkfield Liscard last Saturday brought up his 500 for a season in which he currently averages 100.2.

“David Atherton’s 24 wickets have been important too,” Berrie pointed out.

“We’ve been bowling first in a lot of games and he’s dismissed key batsmen.”

Domigan’s runs and Atherton’s wickets have helped to make Berrie’s first summer as Burscough skipper easier than it might have been, although the 21-year-old already had no doubts about taking on the job.

He said: “I was captain of the club’s under-15 and under-18 sides so it was really a natural progression. Admittedly it was difficult at first but it helps having good players around you and I’ve got a very good vice-captain in Mike Cooney.”

Despite this Berrie reckons his players will take on the future champions at Ruskin Drive tomorrow.