Cricket: Leaders Baildon could take an important step towards their first Bradford League First Division title for 46 years this weekend.

For they play one of their two main rivals - third-placed Farsley at Red Lane - not only aiming to boost their own chances of the title, but damage the prospects of their opponents.

Baildon are currently five points ahead of Bradford and Bingley and Farsley, and victory tomorrow would put them 11 points clear of Farsley with five matches to play.

A championship trophy would mean a great deal to all the players in Mick Emerson's team, but especially to their 52-year-old off-spinner John Marshall, who produced a superb match-winning performance against his old club Yorkshire Bank last Saturday when he took six for 22 in 21 overs to set up a comfortable eight-wicket win.

Marshall, who gained his only title while playing for the Bank in 1980, said: "I work for Yorkshire Bank so it was nice to do well against them.

"Naturally, I would like to win another title, but I think the race will go the last weekend when we play East Bierley and Bingley on consecutive days.

"I appreciate the significance of the Farsley match, but there are so many good sides in the First Division that everyone is capable of beating everyone else.

"Farsley beat us easily at home so we are obviously looking to improve on that performance. That's all we can say."

It's a strange fact that Baildon seem to be happier playing away than at home. Their three league defeats have all been at Jenny Lane, while away from home they have won six matches, gained three four-point draws and had two abandoned.

"Obviously, we are looking to keep that unbeaten run going," said Mar-shall. "At one time, everyone feared coming to play at Baildon. I don't really know why we have not done as well at home, unless the pitches have been a bit slower and have not favoured our batsmen."

Farsley have done remarkably well to stay in the championship race considering that skipper Matthew Doidge and match-winning left-arm pace bowler Joss Overend have missed so many matches through injury.

The all-round ability of Australian Dammien Shanahan and the consistency of opening batsman Richard Gould has served them particularly well.

The other top match features form sides Pudsey St Lawrence and second- placed Bingley.

Most interesting match in the Second Division is between Bankfoot and Drighlington.

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