Burn content with progress
8:27am Saturday 28th June 2008
WITH the wholesale abandonment of all first and second team matches last weekend the aborted programme will be rescheduled in its entirety on a date to be decided in July or August.
So clubs head into today's games in exactly the same position as they were last week, with champions, and current leaders, Burnmoor quietly pleased with their progress to date, as Secretary Ian Linsley explains: "I think we've done about as well as we had anticipated.
"We thought Brett Pelser was coming back but when he didn't we were a little concerned as to how we might fare with our bowling, but with young Alex Ludlow coming on well, and loads of quality and experience available to us with Ian Conn, Martin Thursfield, Gary Brown and Michael Callaghan, we've done alright.
"Of course, the way the points system is we like to bat first if we win the toss and hope to bowl the opposition out. Jimmy Daley's been a big asset to us in adopting that policy - he's got 845 league runs already and has his eyes set on the league record of 1667. He's out at the moment with a dislocated thumb but should be back a week tomorrow against Phili.
"The second half of the season is usually the key time in the league as holidays start to have an effect but I think Hetton Lyons are a good team and likely to push us all the way, and Whitburn will be there or thereabouts again."
Burnmoor had hoped last weeks enforced rest would give Daley's injured thumb sufficient time to heal but won't take any chances with their prize batter, so they play the same side as was selected for the last game.
Today's hosts, Felling, welcome Barry Norman back.
Second-placed Hetton Lyons, just two points behind the leaders, travel to Seaham Harbour for a game that has traditionally been bedevilled by the weather.
The pair have not completed a game for the last three or four years because of the elements.
The visitors keep the same team as last week - which is virtually their full strength line-up.
Neil Johnson, Tony Greaves and Paul Cook all return to the Whitburn team to take on Eppleton, whilst Philadelphia have delayed selection for the home match with South Hetton until they know whether Ben Raine will be available from the Durham Academy. Hetton have also delayed naming their team, but Neil Young is definitely out with a broken thumb.
Relegation threatened Durham City travel to Marsden with Danny Hazel back in the side, although Tom Carter is missing, and in the final game of the day Horden take on Boldon.
Nick Jones returns to the Boldon line-up, whilst Lee Jackson is unavailable.