SALESBURY captain Stephen Brown says plenty of preparation has gone into hosting the Ribblesdale League’s T20 finals day, both on and off the field.

The Ribchester Road club are hoping to get action underway at the second attempt on Bank Holiday Monday, after the original date proved to be a wash-out.

But Brown believes the delay has bought them some valuable time.

“It’s the first time we’ve hosted it so it’s all new to us, but I think we are ready for it, especially having had it cancelled the first time around. We’re a bit more organised,” said the Salesbury skipper.

“We’ve got some food outlets with fish and chips, a hog roast, bottle bars and music - the usual kind of things.

“We’re having to hire portaloos and other bits and bats.

“A lot of hard work has gone into it from the committee and volunteers.”

Brown is pleased with the preparation from his players too.

“We’ve won the last seven league games so we are pretty confident at the moment, playing some good cricket,” he said.

“We’re scoring more runs now, which we weren’t doing a few weeks ago.

“The bowling and fielding were good and that has carried on, but the batting has improved. Everyone is chipping in, so we’re not just relying on one player.

“Sachin Rawson has scored a few in the last couple of weeks and Liam Parkinson has chipped in in the top order, but on Saturday we all chipped in.

“We lost three wickets for two runs, but we managed to get up to 170, so that shows we’ve got a bit of resolve at the minute and hopefully that stands us in good stead.”

Settle would have been the favourites to win finals day when the event was originally scheduled, but since then they have lost the Ramsbottom Cup final and been knocked off the top of the Ribblesdale League.

“I don’t know whether it would be a good time to play them or not,” said Brown. “They have lost big games but they might just pull out a performance.

“But being T20 all it takes is a couple of players to perform well and you get a result.

“It’s wide open.”

Salesbury begin finals day against Euxton in the opening game - a re-run of this Saturday’s league meeting in the first of a triple header for finals day quartet.

“It’s handy how it’s fallen to be fair. But it’s a bit of a different format being 45 overs in the league so I don’t think either of us will be giving anything away,” said Brown.

“T20 is a bit more of a lottery being a shorter game.”

Of the 10.30am start, Brown added: “It’s a bit early. The players have been banned from going out on Sunday night, but I don’t think anyone would because there’s a big day ahead.

“It might be better to get on first and hopefully catch them out after having an earlier start to travel over.”

He added: “We’re at full strength all weekend. We’ve got everyone available and we’re looking forward to it. Everyone’s committed and we want to be in that final.

“We don’t want to be waiting around and watching everyone else.”

Admission charges for T20 finals day are £3 for adults and £1 for children.