Garstang CC skipper warns that success will not come easily this season

With five games of the Northern Premier Cricket League season remaining, Garstang sit second in the table and are also in the last eight of the Berrys Beds 40-Over Cup.

They had been due to host Leyland in a top-of-the-table match last weekend, only for Saturday’s wet weather to see the game abandoned.

Twenty-four hours later, however, and they were victorious in the cup, beating Kendal in a reduced-overs game by 34 runs.

“Saturday was a bit frustrating really,” Walling said.

“It was just one of those days full of showers; we did the mopping up, getting the ground right, and then there’d be a shower which just pushed everything back.

“Then, at 3.30pm, the heavens opened, the rain was ridiculously heavy and we knew that was it for the day.

“Sunday was a really good performance in a rain-affected game but, while it was disappointing not to play both days, we can’t control the weather.”

Garstang are due to be in league and cup action this weekend with a trip to Chorley on Saturday followed by their cup quarter-final with Fulwood and Broughton on Sunday.

The first meeting with Chorley was a rain-affected winning draw in Garstang’s favour at the start of June, while Fulwood and Broughton have always proved difficult opponents.

“There are only five league games to go, so we’re at the business end of the season,” Walling said.

“Each game is going to be competitive so we have to turn up and do what we’ve been doing all season.

“We did well last season when we got to the cup final and it’s a competition we feel we can go far in again.

“Fulwood and Broughton should be a really good game; they are a really strong team who we’ve played against for years in league and cup.”