ADAM Dale has bagged over 100 wickets this summer but would gladly swap his position as the league's leading wicket-taker for Bacup's first Transco Lancashire League championship for 40 years.

The Queenslander could yet end up with both titles as Bacup enter the final weekend of the season level at the top of the table with East Lancashire and four points clear of Ramsbottom.

But it's the league crown that Dale wants as he prepares for the decisive games against Lowerhouse at home tomorrow and Burnley at Turf Moor on Sunday.

He said: "The competition is a very traditional one and it's an honour to achieve personal milestones.

"But I would trade that in for two maximum points wins.

"Winning the championship is what teams set out to do. Personal performances are secondary to how the team performs and if we can achieve our goal of playing well, winning our last two matches and finishing top, we'll have had a good year."

The title last went to Lanehead in 1960 when the professional was Ray Gilchirst, the last player to take 100 league wickets for the club.

Dale, who currently has 104, added: "There's a lot of excitement about the place and the club has worked hard to achieve their goal.

"Everybody from the players, the committee and the supporters have contributed to what would be a deserved win." Bacup can't be beaten if they take 24 points from the two games, although the league's first play-off since 1986 could be on the cards.

With Dale and David Ormerod, who has 72 wickets to his name, in top form with the ball, and pitches over the weekend likely to suit the bowlers, you wouldn't back against them rolling over the opposition -- particularly on their own strip.

And that could leave just another couple of nervy run-chases of the type they have negotiated on most occasions -- although not at East Lancashire in a defeat last month that could yet prove costly -- between Bacup and the championship.

"We might have lost a few more wickets than we would have liked but we've been able to achieve our goals and the whole team deserves credit for that," said Dale.

The Burnley club holds the key to the title as they play East Lancashire on Sunday but Dale stressed that Bacup won't worry about the final round of matches until tomorrow night and won't be distracted at what's going on elsewhere, with East Lancs entertaining Enfield tomorrow and Ramsbottom facing Church away and Rishton at home.

He added: "As a team we can't get carried away with what's happening at the other grounds. We can't control what's happening there.

"We have to be in charge of what we do and if play to our maximum ability no doubt the other results will look after themselves."

Dale has been invited back to Bacup for next season and is giving serious consideration to the offer after an enjoyable first summer in the league.

However, he has to weigh that up against family and other career commitments.

"If it was just an emotional decision I would come back tomorrow," he said.

In any case his stay may be extended by a week should a play-off be required for just the fifth time in the league's history.

However, even that will require some alterations to his schedule and Dale is keen to clinch the title at the first time of asking.

"The club have been looking into it and I will be doing everything possible to stay. But let's hope it doesn't come to that," he added.

Tomorrow's fixtures: Accrington v Rishton, Bacup v Lowerhouse, Burnley v Rawtenstall, Church v Ramsbottom, East Lancs v Enfield, Haslingden v Colne.