Walsall near to historic hat-trick
Walsall Cricket Club are preparing to re-write the Birmingham League history books by wrapping up a momentous hat-trick of titles.
Walsall Cricket Club are preparing to re-write the Birmingham League history books by wrapping up a momentous hat-trick of titles.
Paul Wicker's men need just a point at Wolverhampton, to clinch a third straight league championship and become the first club since the Second World War to achieve the treble.
Wicker is poised to lift the trophy in his first season as skipper and club president Nigel Bond insists the entire club is aware of the significance of the imminent achievement.
Bond said: "Everyone is very aware of it and the whole club will be very proud if we can clinch the third title.
"There is a really good feeling around the club at the moment.
"Dave Middleton has led us to the previous two titles by turning the players into an excellent team and Paul Wicker has kept that going brilliantly.
"The social side is fantastic at the moment. All the players enjoy each other's company and stay behind for a drink after every game.
"The two captains have instilled that spirit in the team and I think that is one of the main reasons why we have done so well.
"But if we wrap it up tomorrow we don't want to stop at three. We are all aware that no club has ever won four titles in a row in peace time and we would love to go on and do that."
Himley are the only club who retain a mathematical hope of denying Walsall their title but three wickets or 120 runs will give Wicker's side the bonus point they need to wrap up the title regardless of the result.
That would make Walsall the first team to land three straight titles since West Bromwich Dartmouth's five successive championships during the war.
Walsall would be the first club to achieve the treble in peace time since they did it themselves from 1935 to 1937.
Dartmouth could be in for a miserable day, as they contemplate relegation from the top flight. They must win at Moseley to have a hope of staying up.
Even a maximum 24-point haul will not save them if Leamington Spa collect 14 points from their last match against Kidderminster Victoria.
