CAPTAIN Marc Brown hopes Netherfield can pick up victories in their two remaining fixtures to build momentum heading into next season.

The Parkside Road outfit sit in eighth place but could leapfrog local rivals Kendal and Fleetwood if scores go their way over the next forthnight.

And Brown expects his team to do just that as Field prepare to host Darwen this weekend before bringing the curtain down on the campaign against Leyland.

“We want to win both games - whether that is 15 points or 12 points,” he said.

“We want to finish above Kendal and as high as we can. I feel we have played some good cricket this season and if we do build on where we finished on last year then it shows there is a progression at the club with a young team who are only going to get better.

“It is important to finish strongly for the people at the club who have put a lot of time in and just a bit of individual responsiiblty.”

Saturday’s match against Chorley was abandoned after a bout of heavy thunderstorms. The Windsor Road outfit had made 187-5 from their allotted overs with David Fisher top-scoring on 82.

Netherfield were 16-3 after 13 overs in their reply before the storms arrived.

And Brown admits his team were not entirely at the races.

“Sometimes you have just got to hold your hands up and say the opposition actually played pretty well,” he said.

“They batted well but I felt we bowled well in the second half. Maybe we didn’t bowl in the right areas for the conditions early in their innings but they got a reasonable score and bowled well at us.

“They kept it tight and we were very much up against and perhaps were lucky to come away with some points.”

* Meanwhile, Lancaster Royal Grammar School pupil and Netherfield all-rounder Tom Williamson will play for the MCC Schools Team against the English Schools Cricket XI at Lord’s Cricket Ground on Thursday.

Williamson, who is starting Year 13 at LRGS, will spend the morning in nets on the nursery ground and then play in a 50-over-a-side match on the hallowed turf on the Lord’s pitch.
This is followed by a dinner in the Long Room of the Pavilion, a venue respected and treasured by county and international cricketers.
Head of Cricket at LRGS, Ian Ledward said: “This is a super reward and great recognition of Tom’s undoubted talent. As a left hand opening bat and slow left arm bowler, he has played for the 1st XI since he was 13! Tom scored over 500 runs and took nearly 30 wickets for school this summer.”