RAMSBOTTOM skipper Jack Simpson will be a more than interested spectator tomorrow, as six Marsden BS Lancashire League matches - washed out last Saturday - are replayed.

His team, having beaten Nelson and the weather, will have to sit it out tomorrow as the title race heads for an intriguing climax with Rishton on 79 points, East Lancs 74 and Ramsbottom 73.

The top two have three games to play, Ramsbottom only two.

And wicketkeeper-batsman Simpson admitted that Ramsbottom could only keep their fingers crossed and hope that both their rivals would be beaten tomorrow.

"I'll probably go along to watch Rishton's game at Enfield," he said. "Our chances really depend on what happens tomorrow.

"If both Rishton and East Lancs win, then I think what happens when they meet on Sunday will be irrelevant as far as we are concerned with the championship.

"We couldn't do any more than take a maximum 10 points from last weekend. We have pushed it as far as we can.

"And we have two very difficult games left ourselves, away to Haslingden and at home to Todmorden.

"You can't really ask for anything more than to take the championship chase right to the line and that has happened." If both the top two win tomorrow - Rishton are at Enfield, East Lancs at home to struggling Accrington - Simpson knows that, while both cannot win Sunday's big game, both can't lose it either. I suppose if it goes wrong for us tomorrow, we would rather Rishton then run away with it and beat East Lancs, as that would give us a chance of snatching the Holland Cup," he added.

Rishton certainly had the upper hand when their game at Enfield was abandoned last Saturday.

But the circumstances were exceptional because of the weather and it could well be a different sort of game tomorrow.

If the run-ups are dry, it will not only benefit Allan Donald, but also Enfield professional Franklyn Rose, who might well fancy the chance of claiming a big scalp in the shape of the leaders.

East Lancs will be red-hot favourites to get the better of Accrington, who have claimed just four wins all season.

They will be aiming to keep the pressure on Rishton before they visit Blackburn Road for the match of the season on Sunday.

Colne professional Ben Johnson will be looking to make major advances on Peter Sleep's league batting record when he gets another chance for Colne against Bacup.

Tomorrow's games: Burnley v Todmorden, Church v Haslingden, Colne v Bacup, East Lancs v Accrington, Enfield v Rishton, Rawtenstall v Lowerhouse.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.