BATTLING BEE GEES DARE TO DREAM AND TITLE RACE DOWN TO TWO

What a weekend in North West cricket circles and although nothing is as yet won or lost, there can be little doubt that events over the past four or five days will have a major bearing on the story of the 2011 season.

Drummond kicked things off on Friday night when toughing out a 5-wicket win over The Nedd in a game that started on Thursday evening and was suspended with just 4 overs left to play. When the sides returned for the last 24 deliveries, an unbeaten half century from Gordon Cooke was enough to bag the points and send the winners to St Johnston on Saturday in good spirits. A solid batting performance there saw the visitors leave Donegal with another big win and with Creevedonnell otherwise engaged, those 4 points meant that Drummond finished the weekend in joint top position.

Stephen Scroggie's men were at Eglinton on Saturday and they won't be one bit concerned at the fact that the Sammy Jeffrey final turned into a battle of attrition as they claimed the shield for the sixth time in 12 years. The Nedd seemed to get a bit overawed with the occasion as they totally under-performed and despite a couple of scares in the second half the multiple winners were always in control as they chased that disappointing 76 all out.

Ardmore, who went into July with a 100% record in the league have seen their title chances evaporate before their eyes with an awful recent run and they were at it again on Sunday as they were beaten by Sion Mills in a 20/20 replay. All of that means that a win in their ongoing match with Killyclooney will send Creevedonnell two points clear at the top of the table with just two games each left to play, although one of those is against Ardmore. Drummond are the only conceivable danger at this stage but if the Creevies keep it together for another couple of games they could be making a welcome return to the top flight after a 30-year absence.

We have spoken many times about the fact that promotion is something of a poisoned chalice but you try telling that to any of the teams involved in the title race or indeed to Bonds Glen who took a huge step towards survival with their defeat of Eglinton on Sunday.

The Bee Gees couldn't buy a win in the first half of the season but they certainly took full advantage of finding Bready on an off day and once they had Eglinton in their sights there was always the danger that momentum would take them past Andy Christie's side. An old cricket acquaintance once told me that our sport is played “80% from the neck up” and I watched his words play out in front of a huge crowd at the Glen on Sunday as the Bee Gees scrapped the life out of their visitors.

Eglinton didn't cope with the conditions early on and then didn't seem to know whether to stick or twist when they lost key wickets. To be fair, their 186 looked a good score in the circumstances but having decided to pay a player for the first time in their history, the Bee Gees sat back and watched Gihan Dilruk earn his fee in a single afternoon.

Not only that but Richard Hepburn and Johnny Haslett showed the correct attitude to support their man when he was in that type of form and that made the difference. The win typified Bonds Glen approach to their relegation fight and indeed last season's Division 2 title win, they bowled as a unit and batted as a unit and whilst their fielding threatened to undo all the good work at times, they had enough about them to see it through.

Despite the defeat Eglinton will feel they are still very capable of pulling a win out of their final three games but with matches against Brigade and Strabane to negotiate they look up against it. Their final match is away at Fox Lodge and if the villagers find the Ballymagorry side in the same obliging mood as they were at Coleraine on Saturday, a relegation play-off may yet not be out of the equation.

At the business end it is now all about Limavady and Brigade after Strabane and Donemana took their leave of the title race. The Red Caps' problem hasn't been difficult to diagnose; their bowling has been too light and despite boasting one of the strongest batting orders around, the attack just wasn't up to the job. Donemana can feel a little aggrieved at the timing of the under-19 World Cup qualifiers that ruled young McBrine and Hunter out at a crucial part of the season and maybe the North West's decision to order their game at Limavady to go ahead but it was a solid season nonetheless.

No doubt there will be plenty lamenting the fact that the North West season could now well be decided by the 20/20 match between the title combatants but those are the rules. The season has been blighted by the most horrendous weather and clubs have had little choice but to adjust their schedules. The fact that Brigade now host Limavady in the short format shoot-out is simply a by-product of this summer and we have to get on with it. The Roesiders won't be complaining of course because with just two league defeats so far this season, a win or a washout will see them become hot favourites to lift the trophy. Having lost first Des Curry and then their professional Adnan Akmal it would be a remarkable achievement if they were to go on to claim back the championship. For their part Brigade have bowled their way into contention and despite the batting looking a little more brittle they have found solace in Ata-Ur-Rehman. The big former Pakistan Test player remains a very live threat in attack but has also provided a host of valuable runs as the batsmen struggled. If they do go on to win the title there will no doubt be those pointing to the Limavady and Strabane games but for me, Brigade's challenge was saved by Rehman almost single-handedly at Coleraine. The Beechgrove men had absolutely no business winning that one but it saved their season and allowed us to go into the final fortnight with all still to play for.

And as the nights grow ever shorter it won't be long until we're pulling the stumps for the final time this year so lets fervently hope for the season finale to live up to its billing. All the main issues remain to be fully resolved but in the weekend that the senior title race has gone from four challengers to two; the second tier promotion race has also turned into a straight shoot-out and the relegation scrap has turned the Bee Gees way, this may well have been a pivotal few days in the North West season.