Top two on a mission

GERRIE SNYMAN will be a busy man over the next few days. He plays for Heyside tomorrow and Monday and as deputy pro for Royton in the CLL on Sunday.

CRICKET: WERNETH and Royton have been hogging the top two positions in the Lake Garage CLL Championship all season.

On Sunday, when they clash at the Coppice, there are three possible scenarios: Werneth could be crowned champions; Royton could clinch promotion, and in the event of a Royton win to add to a Saturday success, the race for the title would be thrown wide open.

As things stand, Werneth lead their local rivals by nine points with five matches remaining.

Both have tricky games tomorrow: Werneth at Unsworth and Royton at Monton and Weaste.

Current form suggests both will gain maximum points, but that’s not a given.

Should Werneth win and Royton lose, another Werneth victory on Sunday would clinch the title for Matt Taylor’s men.

Should Saturday’s results go the other way, maximum points for Royton could put them ahead of Werneth.

What is certain is that if Royton win at Monton they will be promoted to the Premier Division of the CLL for 2014.

A less likely scenario is a Royton defeat tomorrow and a Crompton home victory over Radcliffe, which would leave Royton needing to win at Werneth to secure promotion.

With professional Ben Dunk back in Australia, Royton will use stand-in professionals for the rest of the season.

Derbyshire’s Chesney Hughes, who played for the Paddock outfit in the Wood Cup final a couple of years ago, plays tomorrow, while Heyside pro Gerrie Snyman comes in for the Werneth derby showdown.

Crompton go to Ashton on Sunday, while Oldham entertain the same side tomorrow before another home game against Unsworth 24 hours later.