The Cumbria Cricket League’s finale on Saturday centres on the battle to avoid the drop from the Premier Division.
Either Whitehaven or Lindal Moor will drop into the First Division to be replaced by Egremont.
Both were beaten last week and as they each enter their last fixture and Whitehaven have a slender one-point advantage.
The west Cumbrians close out the campaign at Haverigg while Lindal finish off at home to Wigton.
Getting teams out at this stage of a season can sometimes be tricky and can certainly leave some sides under-strength. It’s the overlap period for cricketers with football and rugby union also getting into gear, which can have a big effect on team selections.
Whitehaven’s hopes of a vital win would have been boosted by the inclusion of their star South African Chase Young but work commitments have ruled him out.
Professional Terence Warde, who has had an impressive first season at the club, is still here and will be an important player for the Playground side. But injuries and football commitments may deprive them of other key individuals.
Lindal Moor will be facing a Wigton side which pulled off a shock but deserved win at Cockermouth on Saturday. But there wasn’t a rugby union fixture and the Greens start their league campaign on Saturday so that might affect the cricket team.
The one factor that could affect the outcome, of course, is the weather and with a 50 per cent chance of showers on Saturday there’s a chance of interference. But as both games are being played only a few miles apart both are likely to be in the same situation.
Good game in prospect
There should be a good game in prospect at Cockermouth where the Sandair side have Carlisle as visitors for a game that will decide who finishes as runners-up.
Cockermouth have had several injury and illness issues of late and dropped sharply out of title contention. So much so that they are down to third, six points behind their final opponents.
Carlisle, after a mid-season dip, have had a late revival and visit Sandair in good heart intent on claiming the runners-up berth.
The Edenside club is holding the junior team’s presentation in the pavilion on Friday night – Under-13s 6pm to 7pm and the Under 11s/Under 15s from 7pm to 8pm.
Carlisle 2nds host Lanercost at Edenside in the Eden Valley League on Saturday afternoon.
The other games on Saturday are: champions Furness v Cleator; Keswick v Dalton; Workington v Millom.
The season will officially conclude on Sunday with the T20 Finals day at the Furness club.
Both Furness and Workington can finish the campaign with doubles as the hosts have already clinched the league title while the Valentine Ground side have the Higson Cup in the trophy cabinet.
They have been kept apart in the semi-final, too, with Furness taking on Cockermouth while Workington face Dalton. The final will follow, to be the last competitive action of the 2022 season.
