CLITHEROE skipper Neil Bolton is backing Dexter Fitton to leave title-chasing Cherry Tree in a spin tomorrow when the two sides clash at Chatburn Road.
After the recent wet weather, Bolton is expecting Fitton and fellow spinner Neil Bibby to wreak havoc on what is sure to be a damp wicket.
And that could tip the balance in his side's favour as they look to avenge a string of poor results against their Blackburn rivals over the last few seasons.
"We've actually had a bad run against Cherry Tree over the last couple of years," said Bolton.
"It's about three years since we last beat them and their pro, Naeem Ashraf, always seems to perform against us.
"But it's going to be a wet wicket which should suit us more than them because we've got a predominantly spin attack whereas I don't think they have a spinner.
"Earlier on in the season, Dexter Fitton was unplayable when the wickets were soft and he was only conceding an average of about one and a half runs an over.
"So, hopefully, he can work his magic again and, if we can keep them to under 150, then we have a great chance."
Bolton started the summer with high hopes for his side after taking over the captaincy from Phil Bishop.
But, after a promising start, that pre-season optimism has now firmly subsided with Clitheroe well and truly out of the title picture.
"We got off to a good start and looked like we might be challenging but then we lost Lee Storey -- a guy Dexter brought along from the Central Lancashire League -- and that seemed to make all the difference," said Bolton.
"I think we won every game whilst he was playing but he then decided the travelling was too much and decided to join Milnrow.
"I suppose that's always the risk when you bring players in from outside the area.
"But it was still a blow to lose a player of his calibre because, although we've got four or five seamers at the club, we haven't really got a genuine fast bowler and he was as quick as any amateur bowler I've seen in the league this season.
"So, although I was initially hoping for a top three finish we're probably now, realistically, looking around finishing fifth or sixth.
"We've lost some key games and our two defeats against Whalley and Settle are probably the ones that stick out most in the memory.
"Both those sides are below us in the league and if you have any aspirations regarding winning titles then you need to be picking up seven points from those types of games.
"So we let ourselves down badly in those two games.
"Another worrying thing has been our away form and if we want to finish in the top five then that's something else we need to turn around."
However, despite the fact the club's title hopes have now disappeared for another season, Bolton insists the future remains bright -- provided they can hang on to some of their promising youngsters.
"I think we are similar to where Great Harwood were three or four years ago," said Bolton.
"They had some promising young players at the time and they've since matured into a very good side.
"I'm not saying we've got quite as many talented youngsters as they had but two or three years down the line we, too, could be ready to challenge if we can keep everyone together."
Tomorrow's fixtures: Clitheroe v Cherry Tree, Great Harwood v Blackburn Northern, Oswaldtwistle Immanuel v Edenfield, Padiham v Ribblesdale Wanderers, Read v Earby, Settle v Barnoldswick, Whalley v Baxenden.
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