Graham: Title is not decided yet

JOHN GRAHAM continues to take nothing for granted in the title race - despite his South North side being in pole position for honours.

The Gosforth outfit go into tomorrow’s crucial clash with third-placed Benwell Hill with a 42-point lead over nearest challengers Newcastle with just three matches remaining.

After tomorrow South North visit Durham Cricket Academy before rounding off their campaign at home to Tynemouth.

Club stalwart and former captain Graham, however, is looking no further than tomorrow’s match and maintaining the gap over Newcastle.

He said: “We have won the title 10 times in recent years but on some of those occasions we were in the position Newcastle are in now, having to come from behind.

“We are very well placed but we know from experience strange things can happen over the last few games of a season.

“We are not complacent - our aim is just to try and win each game and maintain the gap between oursleves and Newcastle.

“Benwell Hill will give us a tough game and have plenty to play for but we are playing well with bat and ball and hopefully we can get the result we want.”

Graham became only the second player to reach 10,000 runs in the NEPL with his knock of 40 against Felling last weekend.

He could be joined tomorrow by team-mate Simon Birtwistle if he can make 45.

At the other end of the table, Whitburn face a crunch clash at fellow strugglers Felling tomorrow with captain Dan Shurben hoping they can put in a real team effort.

The third-bottom village squad have won just three of their 19 league games this season.

Shurben knows the reason why and says the team must take collective responsibility.

He said: “This year has been a real battle and we have not held our nerve at crucial times.

“With a bit more application we could have won or drawn at least some of the matches we have lost.

“It has been difficult to get everyone firing at the same time - individuals have excelled at times but we have not cut it as a team.

“That has been very frustrating but all we can do is try and be better, more resilient in the final weeks of the season.”

TOMORROW’S FIXTURES - Premier Division: Hetton Lyons v Durham Cricket Academy, South Northumberland v Benwell Hill, Chester-leStreet v Tynemouth, Felling v Whitburn, Eppleton v Stockton, Newcastle v South Shields.