A SEASON’S efforts will come down to crucial final games for promotion-hunting Oxton and Warrington.
The difference between the sides’ situations is that Oxton’s future is out of their hands, while Warrington are masters of their own destiny.
Oxton’s loss to leaders Macclesfield in The Right Move Abroad Cheshire County League First Division by 11 runs last weekend was a body blow. It meant they lost second place for the first time in several weeks. Now a victory on Saturday at Upton is essential, but it won’t guarantee anything if Heaton Mersey win at relegation-haunted Bredbury St Mark’s.
The Wirral club’s skipper, Andy Birley, said: “The problem you have with the points scoring system is if you have a really close contest, where we lost by 11 runs, the points difference is 25-6, which does not reflect the cricket that was played. But it has also worked in our favour sometimes.”
And the disappointed skipper went on: “We are better bowling second because we are not that good at chasing runs. We just came unstuck.”
Heaton Mersey have a six point advantage on Oxton and face a side battling to stay up. “Both teams are desperate to win and that gives Heaton Mersey more chance of winning. It’s a position I did not want to be in.
“We just have to go out and attack and see what happens.”
Simon Stokes is missing so second team captain Tom Pearson is called up. Mark Rowlands, who has missed half the season with a broken hand, is hoping to be fit enough to play against his former club Upton.
Given the fact they are playing their near neighbours, Oxton’s Birley added: “They will not do us any favours.”
In the second division, Warrington regained second spot last weekend and hold a two point lead over Burnage in the battle for promotion. However, they have a tricky trip to Grappenhall, who are 10 points behind Warrington in fourth place but still have an outside chance of going up themselves.
Saturday: Cheshire County Premier League: Alderley Edge v Christleton, Chester Boughton Hall v Oulton Park, Neston v Bowdon, Toft v Widnes. First Division: Alsager v Birkenhead Park, Upton v Oxton. Second Division: Grappenhall v Warrington, Irby v Mobberley.
