VETERAN skipper Stephen Hipgrave says he will be delighted to get back on to the field after an insect took a bite out of his leg and left him stricken in hospital for a week.

Earby ace Hipgrave could return to lead his side’s bowling attack as soon as tomorrow after being floored by a mystery illness thanks to the bite early in July.

Medics initally diagnosed the 47-year-old cricket legend as suffering from swine flu - but a few days later he was in hospital on a drip with his leg swelling badly.

Now back on his feet, Hipgrave hopes to play in the crunch Ribblesdale League match with Great Harwood at the Applegarth as his side look to force their way into the Lancashire Cup places.

“It was worrying,” Hipgrave said. “It happened when we played Clitheroe. It was a wet day and we did a lot of mopping up to get the game on.

“When we started, I didn’t feel at all well and could only bowl five overs. And I got worse as the night went on.

“On the Sunday, I felt terrible and lethargic so we called a medical hotline and they suggested it was swine flu.

“My wife went through to Burnley and picked up some Tamiflu but it made no difference whatsoever. I went watch the game at Padiham a week later but my shin had swelled up and I couldn’t put any weight on it. It was getting worse and worse.

“We got the doctor out and he said straight away it was not swine flu. He got me straight into hospital and I spent six days in there on a drip. It certainly wasn’t nice and they seem to think I was bitten by a horsefly when we were doing the mopping up.

“I certainly feel a lot better now and want to get back onto the field.”

Whether Hipgrave plays tomorrow or not will be down to a last minute decision.

“I have not done a lot lately for the obvious reasons,” he said. “But I want to get back as soon as possible. We are having a really good season and I want us to finish in those Lancashire Cup places.”

Baxenden’s big win over second-placed Read last week has all but certainly wrapped up the title but Hipgrave added: “There is still a lot to play for.

“And with Bash winning the Ramsbottom Cup, the Lancashire Cup places will be the top five because they are going to win the league.

“It is very tight in the places below them and I would really like to see us go on and finish in that top five.

“But it is a big game against Harwood and we want to win it.”

Hipgrave’s Earby are currently in fifth and most at risk of missing out to the charge of Gary Hunt’s Ribblesdale Wanderers, who are just four points off the top five and make the trip to Settle tomorrow.

Read are second and face the trip to lowly Clitheroe and really must win and hope that Baxenden slip up against rock-bottom Blackburn Northern if they are to keep the title race alive.

Cherry Tree go to Padiham and Oswaldtwistle Immanuel, who have an outside chance of the top five, entertain Barnoldswick at New Lane. The day’s other game sees Whalley welcome Edenfield to Station Road.

Tomorrow’s games: Baxenden v Blackburn N, Clitheroe v Read, Earby v Gt Harwood, Oswaldtwistle v Barnoldswick, Settle v Ribblesdale W, Padiham v Cherry Tree, Whalley v Edenfield.