OSWALDTWISTLE face the unenviable task of having to do what no other side has managed to do this season - stop Shadid Nawaz!

The New Lane side travel to Ribblesdale League leaders Read on Saturday hoping that the Pakistani professional has an off day.

Since signing up for Read at the beginning of the season, the 25-year-old all-rounder has smacked nearly 500 runs and taken 26 wickets in just six league and cup matches.

In that time, the Whalley Road side have lost just once, claiming Oswaldtwistle's scalp in the first round of the Ramsbottom Cup - where Nawaz hit one of his two centuries so far this season.

"We know all about Shadid," said a worried Ossie skipper Martin Heys. "He is by far the best professional in the league on current form and we know we are in for a tough task.

"We played Read in the Cup a couple of week's ago and he hit a superb 109. And when he's not getting the runs, which seems to be on a rare occasion, he gets amongst the wickets. A 17-wicket haul in two games last weekend just goes to prove that.

"All we can hope is that we can take his wicket early before he gets into his stride."

But in Aussie Peter Gardiner Oswaldtwistle have a professional who Heys believes can secure his side a top half of the table spot for a team that is only in its third season as a senior cricket side.

"We had a very disappointing season last year when we finished bottom of the table. But with the addition of Peter and former Great Harwood pro Roger Watson coming to the club, there is no reason why we cannot finish in the top six."

FIXTURES, Saturday: Baxenden v Barnoldswick, Cherry Tree v Clitheroe, Earby v Padiham, Gt Harwood v Settle, Read v Osw Immanuel, Ribblesdale W v Edenfield, Whalley v Blackburn N.

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