TITLE rivals Roger Harper and Claude Henderson are men in demand.

The Nelson and East Lancashire professionals are both considering offers from their clubs for next season following exceptional seasons.

But, before chewing over contracts, the spin bowlers are turning their attentions to the biggest game of this EW Cartons Lancashire League campaign.

The top two, and only remaining championship contenders, go head to head at Seedhill tomorrow.

East Lancs hold the advantage with a three-point lead but are unlikely to clinch the title with a victory.

It is, however, a game that Nelson cannot realistically afford to lose.

Their West Indian professional, Harper, also has the added incentive of chasing a personal milestone of his first double of 100 wickets and 1,000 runs.

Harper needs just five more wickets to secure the first half of that feat but, having scored 822 runs, he will need two big innings.

Runs, however, have been at a premium against East Lancs thanks to the devastating form of Henderson, in his first season at Alexandra Meadows.

He is already on the 102-wicket mark and has made a big impression both on and off the field.

His availability for next summer is in doubt as performances for Western Province and the South African 'A' side have pushed him on to the verge of international selection.

Skipper Phil Mercer said: "We are in the process of trying to get a contract for Claude and I think he is keen to come back. "I don't think the A-tours take up too much of the season but he has got to weigh up the situation back home." Mercer has enjoyed an impressive first season as captain, stressing team spirit as the secret ingredient, and is hoping to continue in the role next year.

He said: "I might change my mind if we lose the last two games! But if at the start of the season anyone had offered us this position with two games to go, I would have snapped their hand off. Everybody has been doing their job.

"The top few batsmen are all having good seasons, Ian Haworth is having his best season ever with the ball and, though Nas Iqbal hasn't been taking wickets, he has also been bowling better than ever.

"The rest have all been fielding as well as they have to."

Harper must also see how his winter commitments develop before making a decision on a return to Nelson.

He spent last year coaching the West Indies A squad but is not yet clear whether that arrangement is set to continue.

Harper, who was unable to win the title during his long stint at Bacup, is aiming for a second consecutive title, based on good old-fashioned values of teamwork.

He said: "Our strengths have been playing cricket as a team.

"I have had a reasonably good season and Paul Garaghty has been the outstanding batsman but the whole team has been consistent.

"And we intend to go out and play as hard as we can." The championship race is expected to remain in the melting pot and East Lancs face the tougher task, on paper, for the final game of the season next weekend when they host Haslingden while Nelson travel to Rawtenstall.

And Mercer is convinced that nothing will be decided tomorrow.

He said: "It will be very tough for it not to go to the last game.

"Nelson cannot win it this weekend and they are not the type of side that we are going to roll over and then knock off the runs without losing any wickets."

Paul Kelly misses the game after breaking his wrist some time between last Saturday's game against Todmorden and the clash with Rishton on Sunday.

Elsewhere, Todmorden professional Brendan Nash needs just 20 to beat the club batting record of 1,027.

While Haslingden veteran Michael Ingham is just 11 short of becoming the second highest scoring amateur batsman in league history - beating the mark of 13,091 set be team-mate Bryan Knowles.

Fixtures: Accrington v Ramsbottom, Bacup v Enfield, Haslingden v Burnley, Lowerhouse v Church, Nelson v East Lancs, Rishton v Rawtenstall, Todmorden v Colne.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.