Get set for a weekend of drama
This weekend is a massive weekend at both ends of the Logic Premier 50 over cricket league. At the top half, undefeated Bailey’s Bay play Willow Cuts in what will be a title decider. While at the lower end of the table Cleveland County play Southampton Rangers in a battle for survival. As cricket winds down the cricket purist have a weekend of drama and excitement facing them.Firstly, in a battle of survival Cleveland are at home to Southampton Rangers where they are fighting for their lives.A loss for Cleveland would automatically send them back down to First Division. However, a win for Cleveland puts Rangers in a very unfamiliar position of having to beat Willow Cuts in the last game of the season to survive relegation. Rangers having lost their hero/coach Janiero Tucker recently through retirement will not want to plummet to the lower division after dominating local cricket for so long.Very little will separate these teams to decide the winner. It could simply come down to which team bowls and fields better, as there is really no difference in the batting department. Dion Stovell has been quiet by his standards and Rangers will be looking for him to have one massive performance.Cleveland will look to their captain, Dennis Musson to have an outstanding bowling performance as they have been able to post decent scores while batting thanks to the form of Treadwell Gibbons. At the end of the day this game can simply come down to heart and who wants it the most. Which team is willing to fight from ball one to the very last?The showdown of all showdowns, Muhammad Ali v George Foreman, undefeated Bailey’s Bay travel to Somerset to play against second placed Willow Cuts in a blockbuster game with everything to play for.A win for Bailey’s Bay and they will be crowned undisputed league champions, however, a win for Willow Cuts will put them narrowly into second place with the hope of beating Southampton Rangers for the League title.What we have here is two very good teams and I emphasise the word ‘team’. The squad players in both of these teams have all played a role towards their team’s success. However, I personally feel this is a head-to-head battle, with the best batsman on the Island Stephen Outerbridge against the best bowler in the Island, Malachi Jones.Which player performs to their ultimate best on this day will decide who wins the league title. Titles are won and lost by big name players, match-winners, as we like to call them in the cricket world. To win Bay need for Stephen Outerbridge to step up and nullify the crafty, penetrating Malachi Jones.Malachi has demonstrated throughout the year that he can single handily destroy teams, but on other days he has lacked that fire and has been as cold as ice.Which Malachi Jones will show up on Sunday? This could be the difference between Willow Cuts winning the title and finishing an agonising runner up.Cricket has had its up and downs during the summer. Cup Match and County Cup have been very entertaining to all, but this weekend could top them all. I would encourage all cricket lovers to head west to Somerset Cricket Club to watch the title game or head east to Bailey’s Bay to watch the relegation battle.I can assure you that whichever game you attend you will be treated to a spectacular game of cricket with ups and downs, twist and turns, and a thrilling ending. Regardless of the outcome of this weekend’s game I encourage the players to play in the spirit of the game, thus creating a lovely, relaxing, entertaining atmosphere for all spectators, young and old.