Cricket title race engulfed by uncertainty
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Question marks surround the title picture in cricket’s Senior League with one round of matches left to play.
The North of Scotland Cricket Association want all remaining games to be completed this weekend, with league leaders Northern Counties three points away from securing the title after last week’s defeat to Nairn County.
However, the final matches have all been rearranged after originally being set for a rainy weekend two months ago, and Counties’ Meeting Park home is unavailable.
As the Inverness Courier went to print, doubts remained over whether the club would be able to find a replacement “home” in time for tomorrow’s game.
That then also leads to question marks over what happens to the title race, with Forres still capable of lifting the league title with a win in their last game against Ross County.
Should Counties be allowed to reschedule their match for a Saturday in September, they will keep their destiny in their own hands.
If they are made to forfeit to Fort Augustus, though, victory at Castle Leod – and no less – will see Forres snatch the trophy for the second year in-a-row.
There will be a sense at Counties that even the uncertainty is a disappointment after they missed a chance to secure the title last week.
Counties were shocked by bottom of the table Nairn, who won by two wickets in the Highland capital.
It threatens to leave Counties empty-handed when the season draws to a close despite leading the league for the entire campaign and reaching two cup finals, but even if that turns out to be the case captain Will Ford is adamant it has been a successful year for the club.
“Success can be measured in a lot of different ways,” he stressed.
“However as the season pans out, we see it as a very successful year at Northern Counties.
“We have brought more kids into the game of cricket and have started going into schools.
“Although we’re disappointed to have lost two cup finals, the amount of stuff we have done with juniors and schools, getting parents and families involved and developing the social side of the club makes it a good year for us.”
