PRESTWICK today face the biggest remaining hurdle in their quest to be crowned Western Premier champions for the first time.

The Ayrshire team have been the standout performers of the season, playing an attacking brand of cricket which has seen them win ten of their twelve completed matches while losing just two.

However, today’s visitors to the Henry Thow Oval are the outgoing champions Clydesdale and the Titwood men are determined to make Prestwick wait for their moment of glory.

A Clydesdale win, coupled with victory for Ferguslie at Greenock, would see the title race go down to the last Saturday of the season though the opposite combination of results would spark the celebrations in Ayrshire.

Prestwick already boast a win against today’s visitors earlier in the season though that impressive 86-run success was achieved against a Dale side who were without Scotland duo Richie Berrington and Con de Lange, a point not lost on the club’s spokesman Colin Mitchell.

He said: “It’s important to acknowledge that Prestwick absolutely deserve to be the front-runners – they have been the most consistent side in the league by some distance.

“But for just about the first time this season we are facing one of the top four sides when we are close to full strength and so, weather permitting, it’s a good opportunity for us to go down there and test their credentials.”

The availability of Berrington and de Lange makes Clydesdale a much more formidable proposition but Prestwick have their own star performers including the top leading wicket-takers in the division – Sachin Chaudhary and Mitchell Rao, though these two owe a debt to wily new-ball bowler Gavin Pitt whose economy rate is second only to de Lange.

Meanwhile Ferguslie, having displayed a never-say-die attitude in a thrilling win at Dumfries a week ago, have not given up hope that the title could still be theirs though they are wary of a Greenock side who are still not sure of top flight survival.

Skipper Jamey Carruthers said: “All we can do is win our last two games and hope that Prestwick slip-up. Last week showed that anything can happen in cricket so we won’t give up.”

The Paisley side are still without their leading wicket-taker Haroon Tahir and Greenock are missing their talented teenage opener Harry Briggs while Australian pace bowler Julien Hulbert will undergo a fitness test.

Uddingston can cement third place with victory over Dumfries at Bothwell Castle while Poloc, with a severely depleted side, hope to end a disappointing spell of defeats and cancellations by beating relegated Kelburne at Shawholm.

East Kilbride, having completed just one of their last five scheduled fixtures, travel to Ayr in desperate need of maximum points if they are to overhaul Greenock and give themselves a chance of dodging the drop.
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