Sandys have eye on crown: CRICKET: Commercial League
the Cup Match holiday, renew rivalry on Sunday in a match that could decide the Commercial Cricket League title.
Sandys, pumped up by Somerset's thrilling Cup Match triumph, have drawn home advantage over WIA, who currently hold a one-and-a-half point lead over the west enders as the four remaining clubs head into the third and final round of league games. WIA and Sandys are well clear of Pembroke United and Forties, who clash at Shelly Bay on Sunday after trading victories earlier in the season.
Meanwhile the draw for the Knockout semi-finals, to be played on September 1, has given Sandys, last season's losing finalists, a home tie against Pembroke United. In the other semi-final, WIA will take on title holders Forties, who beat Sandys last year to record their 10th triumph in 11 appearances in the final of the competition. Sandys had ended Forties' 100 per cent record in finals when they beat them in the 1994 showdown.
Forties have never been beaten by WIA in the Knockout, losing in the semi-finals to Sandys and Pembroke on the only two occasions they have failed to reach the final. But WIA will start odds-on favourites to reach this season's final, having beaten Forties comfortably in their first league encounter at Police Field. Forties clung on for a draw in the second match at the same venue.
WIA's acting skipper Jerry Callender is getting ready to hand the reins back to Randy Liverpool, who has been on an extended holiday in the Caribbean, but expects still to be in charge for Sunday's game.
WIA have taken the honours so far this season, narrowly "outpointing'' Sandys in their drawn first league game at the Royal Naval Field and beating them by four wickets in the second game last month at Shelly Bay.
But WIA will start without one of their key players.
Allrounder Olwin Clarke, a hard-hitting batsman and fast bowler who was sidelined for several weeks with a shoulder injury, has struggled since returning to the team and now an injury to his other shoulder is likely to rule him out for the remainder of the season.
Sandys skipper Terry Corday will lead his team in Sunday's crucial match but a Caribbean cruise will prevent him playing in the final league match against Forties as well as the Knockout semi-final.
Although Forties find themselves in the unaccustomed position of propping up the league table and out of the title reckoning, they are gearing up for a two-pronged assault on both the Knockout and League Cup trophies. Forties gained consolation for two league defeats by beating Sandys by six wickets to advance to next month's League Cup final against Pembroke United and should have a number of key players available for the remaining fixtures. Newcomer Tim Bridges, a lawyer who scored two half centuries for Forties early in the season, has returned from a five-week business trip to the Far East.
Ken McGee, a right-hand batsman and slow left-arm bowler and another newcomer in the Forties line-up who has also missed much of the season through business trips, topscored with 30 and took two for 26 in Forties' last league game against Sandys.