GREAT HARWOOD professional Shantanu Sugwekar is backing India to make it to the final of the cricket World Cup.

The 31-year-old opening batsman watched in awe as fellow countrymen Saurav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid took Sri Lanka apart at Taunton on Wednesday.

And though he won't be able to watch his country's clash with England at Egbaston tomorrow, because he's on Ribblesdale League duty with Harwood at Clitheroe, he's predicting more fireworks.

"If we keep on batting like we did against Sri Lanka we've got a great chance of making it to the final," said Sugwekar.

"It was smashing to watch Ganguly and Dravid bat like that - I can't really describe it in words.

"But tomorrow's game should also be great because England have also got off to a good start as well."

Ganguly and Dravid's world-record stand of 318 for the second wicket has whet Sugwekar's appetite for a run-feast of his own.

And he believes his partnership with Harwood opener Daniel Cheesbrough could bare similar fruit for the Cliffe Park club this season.

"I think Daniel is a tremendous player and I really enjoy batting with him.

"He's got a good, solid defence as well as a great attack and he also plays nice and straight, which is the important thing.

"I think we can do well together."

Sugwekar himself has already scored nearly 380 runs so far this season.

And despite a relatively barren spell last weekend, when he made 24 and 4 in the games against Ribblesdale Wanderers and Oswaldtwistle Immanuel, he believes there's plenty more in the locker.

"Last weekend was my first bad weekend since I've been here but I'm not too bothered about it because apart from that I've had some good scores."

His form so far has helped Harwood make an encouraging start in their quest for a first Ribblesdale League title this century.

Five wins from seven games have pushed Gordon Simpson's men up to fourth in the table, hot on the heels of the early pacesetters.

And Sugwekar believes that's not a flash in the pan and they have got the stamina to make a sustained championship bid.

"We've made a brilliant start, the boys are doing very well and we seem to be getting better and better.

"I think we can be one of the top teams in this league although it's too early to say whether or not we'll win it.

"But the boys have got the talent and age is on their side, they just need a bit more experience."

That will grow over the course of the summer and tomorrow's trip to Clitheroe is likely to provide a strong test of character.

Phil Bishop's men are just two places below Harwood in the table and are looking to launch a title bid of their own.

"I don't know much about them but if we can bat first and set them a good total then I think we can win."

And in between times, Sugwekar will be hoping to catch odd snippets of the England-India match on TV as his country aim to cement a Super-Six place.

He believes Alec Stewart, Nasser Hussain and Graeme Hick pose the biggest threat with the bat.

And he's also been impressed with Alan Mullally's resurgence with the ball.

"I think we're capable of making about 270 to 280.

"But if Mullally or Darren Gough make an early breakthrough then that would be great for England.

"Mullally is definitely the pick of the England bowlers at the moment and he seems to be bowling at his best.

"And being a left-hander will make it even more difficult for the Indian batsmen."

The pick of the rest of tomorrow's Ribblesdale League fixtures sees third-placed Cherry Tree take on second-placed Padiham at Blackburn Road.

Fixtures: Baxenden v Whalley, Cherry Tree v Padiham, Clitheroe v Great Harwood, Earby v Blackburn N, Read v Edenfield, Ribblesdale W v Barnoldswick, Settle v Oswaldtwistle Im.

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