JONATHAN Fielding is standing on the brink of a little bit of history – but fears that the weather will prevent him from notching another mark in his long list of record breaking moments.
The captain of outgoing Lancashire League champions Ramsbottom goes into his side’s weekend double header needing five wickets to become the first amateur for almost a century to claim 100 wickets in consecutive season.
Alf Pollard performed the feat in 1916 and then when the league resumed after the First World War in 1919, while Enfield’s Tom Lancaster did it in 1903 and 1904.
But Fielding, who also has the best return in the Ribblesdale League since 1952 with his 1998 mark of 108, is ready to admit defeat in that glory chase.
“I have seen the forecast for the weekend and I don’t think I will get five minutes let alone five wickets,” said Fielding.
“It would be lovely to get the chance to get 100 wickets again – but if I don’t there is nothing I can do about it, we can’t control the weather.
“It is really nice to be on the brink of doing something that happens so rarely and when I got the 100 wickets last year it was a great moment – but I just kind of wish I knew what was going to happen when Lancashire released me 20 years ago.”
With Lowerhouse having already wrapped up the title, Accrington, Todmorden and Ramsbottom will battle it out for the Holland Cup, awarded to the league runners-up.
Lowerhouse don’t play tomorrow as they managed to get their game in when the matches should have been played back in July.
And Fielding says they fully deserve their crown.
“They have been magnificent all year,” added the 38-year-old. “They remind me a lot of the way we performed last season.”
They got on a heck of a run and when you get that momentum you take some beating.
“I hope the weather is good for them on Sunday as well. No other side has ever won all their home games in a season and they have the chance of that. It would be some achievement if they were to do it.
“We have won three out of the four trophies this season but after I have got 90-odd wickets and Shanan Stewart has almost 1,000 runs so it does make you wonder how we have not won the league.”
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