LUDLOW go head to head with Whitchurch on Saturday knowing that victory would put them on course for the Shropshire League Premier Division title.

Just 14 points separate the top two with the home side having the slender advantage going into the final three games of a thrilling season.

“This is going to be the biggest game for the club in 20 years,” skipper Will Sparrow admitted.

“We know that if we win on Saturday then it’s in our own hands – if we win all our games then we’ll be champions.

“We go there with pretty much a full side and with competition for places which is excellent at this stage of the season. At the start of August we set ourselves a target and we have gone on a great run with a couple of big wins.

“If you look at the results we are the form side at the moment and we have put ourselves in a great position. All the pressure is on Whitchurch. We go there with nothing to lose – they have seen us close the gap to 14 points and they have everything to lose because they are the leaders.

“The mood across the club is fantastic with our other teams going well. There is a real excitement about the place.”

Ludlow geared up for their potential title decider with a 128-run victory over mid-table Newtown at the Burway.

Batting first, the home side found runs easy to come by and declared three overs from the end of their allotted 50 with the score on 287-7. Glen Whittaker was there unbeaten on 56 while opener Will Gough hit 50 and Sparrow 42 off just 33 balls. Paceman Ruel Brathwaite added a quickfire 21 off 11 runs late on.

“We chose to declare to give us those extra three overs if we needed them,” the skipper added. “Nobody made a big score but there were runs for all the top six which was ideal going into the Whitchurch game as they all had time at the crease.

“The biggest thing for us is that Glen is scoring again after missing a few games with his broken thumb.”

There was an early scare as Newtown made a rapid start, going after Ludlow’s opening strike bowlers Brathwaite and Bryan Leighton.

But with the score hurtling towards three figures, a change of attack stopped them in their tracks.

Sparrow said: “It was just a bad day at the office for Ruel and Bryan. I decided to slow things down a bit with some spin and Joe Williams and I took the wickets.

“All in all it was the perfect preparation.”

Sparrow finished with 5-43 and Williams 5-58 as the Burway visitors were skittled out for 159 inside 30 overs.