Garstang CC skipper seeks the perfect weekend

Having spoken previously about the desire to finish the season on a high, Walling saw his players get the better of Barrow and Preston last weekend.

It moved them into the top six of the Northern Premier Cricket League going into Saturday’s penultimate game of the season at Penrith.

Twenty-four hours after that and Garstang will be hoping to lift some silverware when they meet Netherfield in the final of the league’s Benchmarx Kitchens & Joinery Trophy.

“We had wanted to get 30 points from 30 over the Bank Holiday and we played well,” Walling said.

“It was a bit harder against Barrow than it should have been but, after the previous couple of weeks, it was good just to get the win.

“We had dropped down the table a bit but we said that two wins at the weekend would put us in sixth.

“We have Penrith to play on Saturday and, hopefully, 15 points there means we can try and look at finishing in the top four.”

It will be the third time Garstang and Penrith will have met this season.

Walling’s men won the reverse league match by 81 runs at the Riverside in mid-June, followed by an eight-wicket Trophy victory at Tynefield Park two-and-a-half weeks ago.

That win set up Garstang’s successful semi-final against Fulwood and Broughton with Netherfield now their hosts in Sunday’s final.

Netherfield go into the game looking for the first part of a possible league and cup double as they are second in the table, two points behind Blackpool.

“That is what we’ve been working towards,” Walling said of Sunday’s match.

“Netherfield are a good side and they won the league last year.

“It’s at their ground but we will be going into it confident even though we will have to play well to win.

“It’s what we are in the game to do and we’re looking forward to it.”