Serious Cricket Home Counties Premier League
Aston Rowant may well need to beat High Wycombe tomorrow if they are to avoid relegation from Division 1.
Rowant are seven points adrift of safety and visit title-challenging Henley in their final match, so beating Wycombe, who thesmelves are not yet safe, looks their best bet.
And with their nearest relegation rivals, Radlett and Harpenden, facing the division’s top two, tomorrow is a great chance to steal a march.
With only 25 points separating the bottom five, it promises to be a nervy penultimate day – if the rain holds off.
Oxford, who mathematically can still win the title, recall seamer Philip Evans in place of batsman Nick Ferraby (unavailable) for their trip to Tring Park.
Captain Jason Harrison, who was frustrated by last week’s draw with Rowant, said: “There are 33 points between us and Welwyn with 50 to play for and we have still got to play them.
“There is still a chance of us winning.”
Spinner Jimmy Phillips returns in place of youngster Josh Megson for Banbury’s home game against Potters Bar.
Banbury defeated leaders Welwyn Garden City last week, which showed how good they can be.
But captain Ian Hawtin said the fact that they had only drawn once, two fewer than any other side, had proved costly to their title ambitions.
He said: “We have won our fair share of games, but we have lost too many, really.
“That just shows we have been a bit inconsistent.
“Hopefully we can win the next two games and finish in the top three.”
Thame Town will look to cement a top-four finish in Division 2 West by defeating Gerrards Cross at Church Meadow.
Will Rooney and Tom Layton replace Angus Lachan and Rob Jackson from the side that lost to Farnham Royal last week.
Vice-captain Michael Higgs said: “We beat them earlier in the season with probably our best win, chasing down 250-plus.
“It would be nice to do the double over them on Saturday as they have been one of our bogey teams.”
TOMORROW’S TEAMS Aston Rowant (v High Wycombe, home): from Morgan, Todd, Cossins, Watling, Morrick (capt), Lyon, Needham, Eaton, Matthews, Penhale, Humphreys, Anning.
Banbury (v Potters Bar, home): Shirazi, Sabin, Haupt, Hawkes, West, Tew, Ryan, Hawtin (capt), Guthridge, Blanchard, J Phillips.
Oxford (v Tring Park, away): Harrison (capt), Sandbach, Laudat, Perkin, Crosby, Mehmood, Van Dyk, Mendis, Gilbert, Geeson-Brown, P Evans.
Thame Town (v Gerrards Cross, home): Higgs, Jeffcock, Bhatti, S Lachlan (capt), Goggs, Parmar, S Patel, N Patel, Layton, Williams, Rooney.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel