NCCC Academy director David Ripley is looking for his side to wrap up the title sooner rather than later after they extended their lead to 37 points with a win over title rivals Peterborough.

The Academy now play the bottom three sides knowing three wins out of three would as good as secure the NCL title for the first time in three years.

The former Northants wicket-keeper said: "I'd rather be where we are right now because we've got points on the board.

"But a loss for us and a win for Finedon and Peterborough would throw it open again.

We want to win all of our remaining games because we don't want to have to go to Finedon needing a win on the last day."

The Academy have had a stranglehold on top spot for most of the season and tomorrow's opponents Stony Stratford have held their position for the majority of the season also, unfortunately at the wrong end of the table.

In fact, they've been bottom since week seven.

Ripley has been surprised by Stony's lack of league results and is stunned to see them struggling at the foot of the table.

"I'm very surprised," admitted Ripley. "They're normally a pretty steady side in the division.

But they'll be scrapping for as many points as they can get.

"Stony have scored plenty of runs but seem to have had problems with their bowling.

"But they've got Steve Bellew back and he's been their mainstay bowler."

In the side's previous encounter this year, Stony came close to turning the form book upside down when they finished just eight runs behind the Academy's mammoth total of 342 and will need to perform in the same manor to stand a chance of staying up.

Ripley said: "It's between three sides at the bottom now and Stony are one of them.

"It's unfortunate, but you know that sides at the bottom are there for a reason."

Steven Crook is set to play his first Academy game in a while after missing nearly 10 games through injury.

Robert Newton and Shaun Bailey are unavailable for tomorrow's game however as they are on course to represent England Under 19s.

Brixworth are so close
Brisworth v W Indians
Brixworth are once again sitting pretty at the top of division one and four more wins is all it needs for them to secure their seat at the top table of the NCL once again.

Brixworth were relegated from the top flight in 2006 and, after narrowly missing out on promotion last season, they are favourites for the title this year after they went back to the top of the league with a win over Weekley & Warkton last time out.

Brixworth have two relatively easy fixtures against Wellingborough Indians and S&L Corby in the next two games, but know they must maximise their scoring opportunities as they then play a tricky game at home to Kettering before meeting title rivals Wellingborough Town
on the final day of the season.

And with four sides still in with a real chance of going up, Brixworth must guard against complacency in tomorrow's game against the Indians, a side that on their day are capable of beating anybody.

When the sides met earlier on in the season the Indians battled to a
losing draw and a similar result tomorrow would help their chances of
survival and dent the potential title hopes of Brixworth.

After missing a lot of action this season, Brixworth will be hoping to have former England Test bowler Devon Malcolm back in the shake-up for selection.

Saints sets sights on top-six finish
Round-up
Revitalised Saints head into tomorrow's game with Burton Latimer aiming to break into the top half of the table for the first time this season after comfortably disposing of Wollaston last week.

Saints have had a tough season in the NCL, but a recent turn in form has them pushing for a place in the top half of the table once more as they currently seventh, only a point behind Rushton.

They will be hoping skipper Alec Swann can add to is tally of 722 runs to overcome a side in desperate trouble as Burton sit one place from the foot of the table and have had a poor run of form in recent weeks.

Old Northamptonians' season which promised so much has gone from bad to worse after a poor showing against a strong Rushden side last weekend.

And they will have to improve their run of form if they are to gain a victory at home to third-placed Peterborough tomorrow.

Boro were taken apart by title favourites NCCC Academy last week and know that only a win would realistically keep them in the race for the title.

ONs will have to put their disappointing recent run behind them to have any chance of matching the Cambridgeshire side tomorrow and hope that Shaun de Kock can keep firing with both bat and ball as he was the only ONs player to come away from last week's game with any credibility.

Elsewhere in the division Rushden play Irthlingborough Town at Short Stocks, second-placed Finedon Dolben travel to Rushton and Wollaston
and Desborough Town meet in a battle between eighth and ninth.

In division one, Horton House will be going all out for the win and maximum points as they look to chase down the leading pack into the run-in to the end of the campaign.

They had another emphatic win over Wellingborough Town last weekend, opening up the race enough to suggest that any one of four could take top spot and secure a place in the premier division next year.

Steve Finch's men will travel to Weekley & Warkton full of confidence looking for a win tomorrow hoping their recent surge is not put to waste heading to the climax of the season.

The same cannot be said of Great Houghton however as they go in search of victory at title chasing Isham.

Houghton have struggled in recent times, succumbing to two heavy defeats in the previous fortnight and thus securing nothing but mid-table obscurity for them come the end of the season.

A late dip in form has dragged them into the bottom half of the table and they'll be looking to finish the season strongly and kick on next season where they'll looking to put together a better promotion campaign.

The league's remaining fixtures see Geddington hosting Wellingborough Town, Kettering meeting S and L Corby and Rothwell Town taking Old Nortamptonians II.