Challenge is on for Pool.

Byline: Local Cricket Preview

Resurgent team have no fear

on the eve of their biggest test

ANDREW WILKINSON 

LEADERS Bishop Auckland entertain second placed Hartlepool tomorrow in the Darlington Building Society NYSD League.

And Pool skipper Ian Palmer is looking for his side to show that they deserve their current status.

"We have made an excellent start to the season, and this game is a test of how far we have come," he said. "We're trying to catch Bishops and this will give us an indication of where we stand.

"A few people expected us to struggle this season because we lost skipper Gary Tebbett, Andy Carter and a good young player in Richie Evans.

"We finished seventh last year, and I felt that slightly above that would be the target this season. But after the way we have started, we want to be up there come the end of the season.

"I started to believe we could do well when we won five in a row after losing the first game. I'm told that it is the first time the club has achieved such a long winning sequence since winning the league in 1988.

"Our confidence is growing and when we lost to Darlington a fortnight ago, we bounced back to beat them last week which was pleasing."

However, Ian points out that his side has yet to meet some of the better teams including Guisborough and Saltburn, though they host Saltburn next Saturday, and Ian warns that Adil Ditta's men will be keen to catch the leading teams.

"Saltburn have been a bit unlucky with the toss so far, and batting first makes it more difficult to win. They will be in the chase at the end of the season, so the longer we last the pace the better."

New professional Tharakana Gunarathne has taken a lot of pressure off Michael Gough, who had to hold the top of the order together at times last season.

That has enabled Gough to score more freely, while Gunarathne has also taken a lot of wickets - almost 30 so far.

And another big plus has been teenage batsman Paul Johnson, who has a couple of 80s to his name this season.

But there's always a catch, and as skipper, Ian has the dilemma of keeping players happy, as some of the lower middle order are not getting much of a bat.

He's switching the batting order in cup games, so that everbody gets a chance to keep his eye in.

"The time will come when we need all of them," he said. "In our opening game of the season we were on 20-4, and we relied on the batsmen lower down, with two of them putting on 100 runs which kept us in the game, even though we lost in the end."

Ian has been in the side regularly for around five years, having been in and out before that. He was asked to take over as skipper this season and jumped at it.

"As a bowler batting at number 11 it keeps me involved, whereas before I would switch off for spells," he said.

Northallerton take on bottom club Normanby Hall. Don't miss tomorrow morning's Evening Gazette Sports for the views of Normanby skipper David Cross.

DESPITE Chris Allinson's half century, the North Yorkshire Area Cricket Council were beaten by the Huddersfield League in the Joe Lumb Trophy. Scores:

HUDDERSFIELD LG 229 (D Bruton 3-38); NY

NYCC 174 (C Allinson 52, A Greenwell 39no).

IN the Northern Rock North East Premier League, Norton host third placed South North, while bottom club Stockton face the toughest of trips to league leaders Chester-le-Street.