PAUL Hutchison is being pitched into his first Pudsey derby since the mid-1990s tomorrow but needs no reminding of what they are all about.

Pudsey St Lawrence's' cricket chairman admitted: "I haven't played in one for about 20 years but they are very intense and there is a lot of pressure.

"You can liken it to the Manchester derby in football or, indeed, any big football derby.

"But I think the relationship between the clubs is better now than it was in the Chris Gott-Matthew Doidge era when I was at East Bierley.

"I understand it descended into nastiness at times but nowadays the banter between the clubs is good."

The 38-year-old former Sussex, Middlesex and Yorkshire fast-medium bowler, pressed into action due to the absence of Josh Wilson, added: "The Pudsey derby is more intense even than when you are facing Woodlands or Cleckheaton."

Congs, who have home advantage tomorrow, are safely in mid-table with 202 points, whereas Saints are leading the table with 240 – 12 ahead of Woodlands and 16 in front of defending champions Cleckheaton. Hanging Heaton are fourth on 220.

Hutchison said: "Congs would like nothing more than to beat us tomorrow if it means that we don't go on to win the title.

"But while we haven't been playing well, although we are playing a bit better now, it is still ours to lose."

Of the other title contenders, two are facing clubs fighting to avoid relegation, with Woodlands at Farsley and Cleckheaton hosting East Bierley. Hanging Heaton are at Bradford & Bingley.

Hutchison said: "The Woodlands match should go to form as Farsley have some talented individuals but don't seem to be performing as a team.

"The interesting one is East Bierley, who seem to lose to teams around them near the bottom but beat sides who are in the top four, such as ourselves and Woodlands.

"Meanwhile, Hanging Heaton and Bradford & Bingley are both good teams.

"As for the battle at the bottom, it doesn't concern me, so good luck to them all!"

Lightcliffe's home match against Saltaire pits two of the five strugglers against each other, while fourth-bottom Undercliffe have a tough match at home to mid-table New Farnley.

Saltaire are bottom with 113 points, while Farsley (132), Lightcliffe (134), Undercliffe (139) and East Bierley (143) are immediately above them.

Top match in Division Two is leaders Morley's visit to fourth-placed Yeadon (187 points).

But another eye-catching contest is Gomersal (fifth on 183) at home to third-placed Baildon (218), who are outside title bets behind Morley (258) and Scholes (243), with the latter visiting Hartshead Moor.