Six chase the big prize (From The Northern Echo)

Six chase the big prize

12:20am Saturday 23rd July 2011 in The Warmseal Durham Senior League

There's a pretty impressive six-pack waiting to muscle in on Kimblesworth's title ambitions if the leaders slip up at Philadelphia this afternoon.

Kimbles go to Bunker Hill with their 13-point lead at the top still intact after last week's washout.

And with just eight matches left to stake their claim, any one of the six contenders jostling for position know that if they can string some wins together the title could be theirs.

Just six points separate Horden in second place from Norton in seventh, but that group still need Kimblesworth to slip up at some point, and today's match may not be that occasion as the home team have found it a struggle for much of the season, having only won once.

Phili are 14 points above bottom club Durham and they have lost all-rounder Andrew Robinson, who has transferred to Eppleton.

He hadn't been selected for last week's match so the club name an unchanged side, as do their visitors, who are at full-strength.

The game of the day is at Horden, where Burnmoor, one of the six in the log jam, visit. Skipper Adrian Hedley returns along with Anthony Peace as Paul Dixon and Josh Broome drop down. Burnmoor have to reckon without Gary Brown for the next couple of weeks, but Matthew Jane returns.

Norton travel to South Hetton without skipper Kenny Gresham, so Jonny Kean takes over the captaincy for the next three weekends in his absence, Ben Duncan slotting straight back in upon his return. Hetton include Liam Irving in place of Dan Stewart.

Durham City are boosted by being able to include key player Subhan Christudas for the trip to Boldon.

With Anthony Brown still on the home treatment table, Michael Bittlestone and Gary Frater play, Grant Forster dropping out.

Castle Eden are a point above City in the danger zone and they also have a difficult match to negotiate at Whitburn.

The Castle have a full team at their disposal, but their hosts will be without Peter Marshall and Ross Carty, their places being taken by Ian Elliott and Paul Shields.

Eppleton won the Armbrister Trophy last week without leading batsman Kyle Davis, who returns for the home game against Felling who, in Chris Taylor's absence have handed the gloves to second team keeper Andy McNally.