Quatt may forfeit league game for Lord's dream

Shropshire village cricket club Quatt may forfeit a potential title-deciding league game in order to keep their Lord's dream on course.

The south Shropshire side travel to Warwickshire to face Fillongley in the national quarter-finals of the nPower Village Cup on Sunday.

But the game clashes with an extra round of Marston's Shropshire Premier League fixtures, with Quatt due to travel to take on table-topping Madeley.

Quatt managed to field three sides when a similar situation arose in the last round.

But the start of the school holidays and the addition of a third XI fixture away at Lilleshall on top of the regular first and second team games means their resources may now be stretched beyond breaking point.

"Forfeiting the Madeley game is a serious consideration this time, but we are trying to find enough players to fulfil the fixtures," said Quatt's Sunday skipper Craig Jones.

"We're sending our strongest team to play the national game and we're trying to get a couple of sides together to play Madeley — but the school holidays mean it is not promising in terms of availability."

Should Quatt forfeit the Madeley game, then it would hand the league leaders a gift-wrapped 20 points in the race for the title.

And that is a prospect that has certainly not found favour from the other sides in the hunt for the championship.

Bob Williams, chairman of fourth-placed Newport, who were beaten by Quatt at the start of the season, said: "As a club, we have decided not to write a letter to the league because they seem entrenched in their decision.

Impact

"But we feel it's a totally unfair playing field in view of the fact that this game could have a direct impact on who becomes champions of the league."

Williams added: "With my Shropshire Cricket Board hat on (he is chairman), it's disappointing that the league has played its two Sunday fixtures of the season on the first day of home Shropshire County Cricket Club matches in the Minor Counties Championship.

"There are only three home Minor Counties matches played all season and we don't feel the league is acting in the best interests of Shropshire cricket."

Bryan Jones, skipper of second placed Wem said: "If the game is forfeited, it would make a mockery of the league.

"It would be ridiculous for Madeley to get the points without playing the game."

By CHRIS HUDSON