NPL preview: Title race still open

Despite not quite achieving an outright win last weekend, Cuckney still managed to extend their lead at the head of the table to 38 points.

This week sees them at home to the NCB Academy side. Two consecutive wins has lifted the county youngsters up to seventh, and they will be looking to end the Bears’ run of eight games since a defeat.

The reverse fixture was a tight one, the Academy losing three wickets in four balls to lose the match by seven runs.

Caythorpe could only manage a losing draw last time out, but remained in second spot, albeit tied rather than in sole possession.

They make the trip to Derby to face a Rolls Royce Leisure side looking to bounce back from a defeat that saw them drop to fifth, however, a victory could see them overturn the 14 point gap between them and their visitors.

Caythorpe have proved a tough nut to crack of late, going nine games without defeat, and will be looking to at least repeat the winning draw between these sides earlier in the year.

Plumtree moved back into a tie for second place with their winning draw last weekend and they will be looking for a full house of points as Ordsall Bridon come to the PCG.

The Plums have not won in their last three games, but Bridon have only picked up one win all season.

Coupled with the emphatic nature of Plumtree’s win at Bridon, the visitors could be in for another long day.

By getting the better of their draw at Caythorpe last week, Clifton Village lifted themselves into fourth place, just four points behind Caythorpe and Plumtree.

They will travel to the 2bm Ground in good spirits as they prepare to take on Kimberley Institute.

Despite their good result last time, it is seven matches since the Villagers last won, while the Institute have just two wins from their last 10 fixtures.

Clifton won the first meeting, despite a seven wicket haul for Jon Shaw.

The West Indian Cavaliers remained in sixth place after just holding on to avoid defeat at Kimberley.

They will host Radcliffe-on-Trent, desperate to put things right. Radcliffe haven’t lost any of their last three, hauling themselves out of the bottom two in the process.

Akhil Patel’s unbeaten 88 led the Cavs to a comfortable win in the earlier tussle between the two.

Welbeck Colliery have dropped to ninth in the table, just 28 points clear off the relegation places.

A poor run of five games without a win has seen them slide down the table.

They travel to a Mansfield Hosiery Mills side who have been in good form of late, cutting the gap between them and safety to just 33 points over the last two weeks.

It was a tight one at Welbeck as the Colliers fell 18 runs short in clinching a draw.

All games are scheduled to commence at 12.30pm.