Cup finals provide fitting grand finale

11:30am Saturday 6th September 2008

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THE stage is set for a thrilling finale to the Darlington Building Society NYSD League season with two major cup finals adorning the next two Sundays.

The first of these is at Marske tomorrow (1pm), when Great Ayton take part in their first ever Tall Trees Hotel Macmillan Cup final.

The will face a Middlesbrough side seeking revenge after their surprisingly comprehensive defeat by the villagers in the Premier 15s finals.

Boro’s overseas star, Chetnya Nanda, is no longer around to plague batsmen, having returned to Delhi for the start of the first-class season in India. Nanda apart, Middlesbrough will be at full strength and will include Durham’s Kyle Coertzer.

The Aytonians have secured the professional services of Chris Batchelor for a further two seasons. The ex- Yorkshire player has been in superb form with the bat and has stayed loyal to the club despite offers from elsewhere.

Matt Wilkinson misses the league trip to Blackhall today but returns for the final.

In the league, all attention is now focused on the battle to avoid the drop, with bottom club Redcar and the only club they can overhaul, Hartlepool, both enjoying home advantage in their penultimate flings.

Redcar need a miracle if they are to escape, and have a derby game to motivate them as they take on Marske. The home team have Tom Urwin and Andy Wetherall back against their unchanged neighbours.

Hartlepool welcome Northallerton to Park Drive hoping to banish their anxieties without having to worry about their last game. Pools have Ian Jackson returning while Northallerton are missing Jamie Harrison and Andrew Fishburn, although Mark Cowell is now recovered from illness.