Cumbria will start their final home game in the NCCA Durant Championship on Sunday bottom of the Eastern Division.
But their visitors to Carlisle’s Edenside are Northumberland who are one place above them, three points better off but from a game more.
Cumbria are four points behind Hertfordshire who have drawn both their games (against Northumberland and Cumbria).
In fact Northumberland are the side that Cumbria have faced more than any other county. In the Championship there have been 76 previous meetings. Cumbria have won 20, Northumberland 21, 32 have been drawn with three abandonments.
Last year Cumbria won by eight wickets at Tynemouth, whilst in 2021 Northumberland were victorious when the fixture was also played at Edenside.
Only three Northumberland players remain from the 2022 game, regulars Max Williamson and the Oswell brothers; John and Matthew.
However the side chosen for the Cumbria game is packed with talent and experience, which reflects the increased co-operation between the county and Durham CCC following Stuart Poynter’s appointment as pro, although he is an absentee.
Three current Durham squad players – all England Under-19 internationals Harry Crawshaw, Ross Whitfield and Luke Doneathy play, who along with Nikhil Gorantla add real quality to their batting along with former Sedbergh School pupil Jack Jessop.
Whitfield has already scored a century in the three-day Championship this season and Gorantla did likewise in their win over Durham in the Showcase game.
George Darwood adds strength to the bowling options, who like Gorantla is a former ECB Elite Under-18s player.
Stand-in captain Oliver McGee, a former Keswick School teacher, provides experience to the bowling line-up along with Williamson, Calum Fletcher and Matthew Oswell.
Gary Pratt returns to the Cumbria side, after recently being unavailable due to commitments with his club side, and Penrith captain Greg Cameron is set to make his County debut.
The line-ups are as follows:
Cumbria: Michael Slack (Carlisle, capt), Freddie Fallows (Kendal), Ben Walkden (Newton-le-Willows), Gary Pratt (Richmondshire), Sam Dutton (Furness), Matthew Sempill (Cockermouth), Greg Cameron (Penrith), Ed Moulton (Chorley), Nico Watt (Carlisle), Drew Postlethwaite (Haverigg, wk), Matthew Siddall (Cockermouth).
Northumberland: Harry Crawshaw (Durham), Jack Jessop (Ashington), Nikhil Gorantla (South North), Ross Whitfield (Durham), Luke Doneathy (Durham), John Oswell (Burnopfield, wk), George Darwood (Newcastle), Matthew Oswell (Burnopfield), Oliver McGee (South North, capt), Max Williamson (Benwell Hill), Calum Fletcher (South North).
In a season often hit by the weather, hopefully, a full game will be played out.
Scheduled start 11am Sunday, to continue on Monday and Tuesday.
