Swalwell face one of their more demanding fixtures today when they travel to Shotley Bridge to take on hosts who have won eight of their last ten.

The reigning champions are going to take the title again to make it seven in a row, but apart from second-placed Ponteland who they are due to meet on the final day when the race will already be over, the Bridge are the highest placed team they will meet in the six-game run-in.

Shotley will relish the opportunity to be the first to lower their opponent's colours, and they have Paul Greenwell, Graeme Angus and Kieran Milburn all back today.

The table-toppers make just one change - with Malcolm Clarke away they hand an opportunity to second team all-rounder Dickie Shotton.

With the title almost sewn up, personal milestones could be at the forefront in the coming weeks, and one man in a position to reach one this afternoon is opening bowler Guy Saxton.

Saxton joined Swalwell during the close-season having spent the previous two years at Percy Main and Newcastle. And the astuteness of that signing has been all too apparent with Saxton dominating the league wicket-taking charts.

He needs just three more victims to become the first to reach 50, and with a lead of nine over Burnopfield's Mark Nunn in second place he is in no imminent danger of being caught.

With Swalwell disappearing into the championship distance, the incentive for the other teams is to finish as high as they can, with Ponteland in second spot.

They have home advantage against Leadgate, but have to reckon without Tom Seymour as he has his hands full working at the Test Match.

Nick Brown earns a call-up in his place, whilst the visitors also show one change with Paul Hutchinson in for Aaron McCabe.

Just two points behind Ponteland are Burnopfield, and they have Jack Self back for the trip to Annfield Plain where their hosts include Greg Patterson and John Maughan in place of Adam Phillips and Shane Oliver.

Lintz' latest attempt to break their winning duck comes in a home game against unchanged Tynedale, Joe Harms goes into the Ryton team in place of Connor Rice when they entertain a Lanchester side that includes Dan Storey, and Percy Main, who play Consett, stick with the same players who secured a vital win last time out to ease relegation concerns.