Northumberland Leagues preview

Jul 4 2009 The Journal

MOST cricket lovers abhor the rain but the natives of Sacriston were quite happy to see it tipping down in various locations around the Wellstream NTSL last Saturday while they were able to play and make up significant ground on the two teams above them.

And with leaders Swalwell having suffered two consecutive blanks the position at the top of the table has tightened up considerably with Sacriston now right in the thick of things just 14 points behind the top dogs.

And the pair go head to head today in a battle royal that hands Sacriston the chance to lower the champions colours and threaten the leadership of the table. Not surprisingly the well rested home side have no injury niggles or worries and turn out their best team, but the visitors are buoyed by the news that Durham’s Gordon Muchall should be available.

Muchall played a significant part in last week’s win over Lintz and he will be vital to their plans for this afternoon. There is one slight injury worry for Sacriston though, with Harry Hubber struggling with a groin problem and facing a late test of his fitness.

Shotley Bridge will look to capitalise on any slips by the teams around them when they play Ashington. Bridge are at full strength, but the Colliers hand a debut to 16-year-old seam bowler Ian Sharkey, and also play young batter Martin Sexton as Mitch Claydon is tied up with Durham and Greg Williams is on holiday. It’s getting a bit hairy again for Lintz near the foot of the table and they have a crunch match today when they entertain the team just one place above them, Annfield Plain.

The home side go with the same team as last week, but Plain will be missing Dave Newstead and Graham Carr, with Phil Donnelly and Lee Harrison stepping up.

Ryton have another crack at getting off the bottom when they take on Percy Main. The good news for the strugglers is that Ben Harmison should play, with Jonny O’Neill missing, and in the Main Line-up Micky Phillips is replaced by Dave Tweed who makes his seasonal debut. In today’s other games Tynedale take on Leadgate, who have Davey Jackson, Paul Hockaday and Carl Wilkinson all returning from holiday, while Morpeth are at home to Benwell and Walbottle. Corbridge have the perfect opportunity to put a dent in the SG Wealth Management Northumberland League title ambitions of Alnmouth today when they entertain the champions.

But for the home team the good news of Richard Byerley’s return from injury is tainted by the confirmation that Chris Darling suffered a broken finger in last week’s match and will be out for a few games. With 29 points to make up on the only team above them in the table this is a must win, or at least a must not lose, fixture for Corbridge. This time last year the Terriors were snapping at the heels of the leaders, but this time around they are looking over their shoulders as the relegation trapdoor looms large.

But with only 16 points covering seven teams in the relegation zone, and Bomarsund already well adrift at the bottom, a couple of decent results would work wonders.

Clara Vale are one of those seven so Bedlington’s match there today is also a must not lose situation.

But the Terriers face several changes to their line-up, and Andy Kemp will be sidelined for five to six weeks after undergoing a cartilage operation.

CHRIS WEST