Evenwood won the championship by a whisker last season with Kimblesworth and Esh Winning hanging onto their tails and it promises to be another exciting race, with the trio again among the front-runners.

Evenwood squeezed home by three points from Kimblesworth and although they have the league's leading bowler Deighton Butler back again after claiming 67 wickets at just 7.7, they have lost Craig and Carl Dargue.

"Deighton did very well for us last year but it was a team effort and everybody chipped in," said spokesman Bill Teesdale.

Kimblesworth have a new skipper and professional, but Masood Mirza and Farook Iqbal have departed. The pair will be missed as Mirza picked up 54 wickets at a cost of only 9.3 runs apiece and scored nearly 500 runs. Iqbal collected 50 wickets at 10.2.

Michael Fishwick has taken over as captain and young South African bowler Marius Oosterhausen is pro. The Cochrane twins, Adam and Lloyd, have joined from Langley Park.

Esh Winning were eight points behind Evenwood and they brought in strike bowler Ata-ur-Rehman. Opener Ian Dixon will lead the side.

Despite ending in a healthy sixth position last season, Langley Park were concerned during the close season they would struggle to raise a team, but the problem has been overcome.

David Gladstone could prove an inspirational captain and young Australian Grant Falk is professional. Keith Smith has left to take over as captain of Chester le Street seconds and Adam and Lloyd Cochrane moved to Kimblesworth.

Crook Town must manage without Darren Brown, who led the side last season, and Andrew Coe who have both linked up with neighbours Willington, but Richard Manuel has moved in the other direction. Neil Davies, second-team captain last year, will this season lead the firsts.

Ushaw Moor were a creditable fourth in 2002 and if Sanjay Raul repeats his form with bat and ball, they could do even better. He was one of only two players - the other Tudhoe's Simon Davies - to exceed four figures when he led the runs chase scoring 1,086 at an average of 75 and he also claimed 40 wickets. After a spell with Brandon, Steve Milburn has rejoined.

Willington, who expect to open their new pavilion during the summer have Aussie Graham Wyatt as pro and Steve Donnelly is the new captain. Gary Cummings, formerly professional with Etherley, has moved in with Andrew Coe and Darren Brown from Crook Town. Michael Thorpe has signed for Brandon.

It is much the same at Tudhoe where Shahid Anwar will have another season and at Etherley, Yasas Tillakeratne from Sri Lanka has come in to replace Gary Cummings as professional.

At Mainsforth, Robert Chismon will double up as captain and professional and Shaun Poulter is back to keep wicket. A boost is the decision of the Dargue brothers Carl and Craig to move from champions Evenwood.

Sedgefield have a new skipper in Michael Ridley and Australian Nick Payne will be pro while the side is strengthened by the inclusion of Stephen Brodrick, who helped Guisborough to the NYSD championship last season.

Brandon will be unable to call upon Stephen Dunsford who has returned to Benwell Hill but Michael Thorpe (Willington) and the experienced Bobby Orton, who has played for several clubs, are newcomers as is Aussie professional Robert Morgan, a right-hand batsman and leg-spinner.

Shildon failed to win a game last season but battle on and have appointed Lee Douthwaite as skipper. John Brennan, who captained Bishop Auckland second XI last year, has also joined.

Professional Charlie Burke has been re-engaged but will not be available until July.

* The first five games of the season will start at 1.30 pm.

* Following the launch of the Foster's ECB North East Regional Premier League, the former Northumberland and Tyneside Leagues had little option but to merge.

At the time, there was much consternation but clubs now agree that it was a great move forward. The formation of two divisions with promotion and relegation has created plenty of interest and excitement.

This season sees two up, two down, unlike previous years when three changed divisions.

Champions Shotley Bridge should again be among the front runners as they have re-engaged former Consett professional David Jackson who claimed 66 wickets last season. They also have Peter Collingwood, who led last summer's batting statistics with 726 runs at 60.5.

Lintz, who never engage a professional, will need to sustain their championship challenge longer than they did in the two previous years when they faltered towards the end of each season, finishing second last time.

Sacriston should prove formidable as they have signed Australian Gavin Swan, who last season claimed 52 wickets with Premier League outfit Philadelphia. Phil Shields has joined Ryton.