ATHERSTONE TOWN face their moment of truth tomorrow when they entertain Marston Green, who are destined for relegation from the Warwickshire Cricket League first division, in a match that could go some ways to guaranteeing their future.

Marston Green, who are 28 points adrift at the bottom of the 11-team league and 34 behind Atherstone in ninth, clung onto their status with a supreme, eight-wicket win at home to Berkswell on Saturday. That they chased 243 for victory with such aplomb would have sent shockwaves through the supporters of Atherstone, Aston Manor and Bronze, the only teams they can catch in the two remaining weeks of the season.

But Noel Gibbons, the Atherstone player-coach, is more focused on his club and is optimistic that they can finish as high as sixth with the right results against the bottom club tomorrow and Griff & Coton next Saturday. "This is one of the more important games of the season," Gibbons said in obvious understatement. "We dropped a place because we had a bye last weekend but if we can remain positive I see no reason why we can't finish in the top six or seven." Gibbons's good run of form over the past two months has proved a significant factor in keeping Atherstone above breaking point as they have struggled with their out-cricket for the majority of the campaign. That they have been short of a bowler highlights, too, the contribution of Ryan Steede, the 26-year-old St. George's player, who is in his first season of English club cricket.

"I can honestly say that Ryan has improved his bowling all-round this season," Gibbons added. "Like I said before, he has picked up a few yards in pace and has done enough in my eyes to give St. George's and the national team something to think about." The successful period that Steede has spent in the West Midlands - he is approaching a return of 40 wickets - has encouraged Gibbons to broaden the net in having young Bermudians come over. "I have had (informal) chats with people from three or four clubs who asked if there were any exciting youngsters back home who would do well with a summer up here," Gibbons said. "It is something that I can talk over with Mark Harper (the Bermuda coach) when I get home. I will have to go through the BCBC first." Gibbons did confirm that plans to get Stephen Outerbridge, the Bermuda Under-19 captain, to England had gone beyond the informal stage. "He would have been here this summer were it not for the Shell Cricket Academy in Grenada," he said. "This is a good league overall; not as strong as the Middlesex league I played in last year but there are three or four classy teams with the others fighting it out for fifth and sixth." The fallout from Chris Foggo's unscheduled departure was accentuated on two fronts last weekend as Pyrford, his club in the Surrey County League first division, suffered their first league defeat and BWIA clinched a place in the Western Union Trophy at Headingley.

Pyrford's three-run defeat at home to Frimley, the relegation-threatened side, was perhaps the shock result of the season, as they struggled in chase of a meagre 125. With eight points required from the last two matches to clinch the title - promotion was confirmed a fortnight ago - Pyrford are still short of the mark, especially with Kingstonian returning to winning ways, by 100 runs away to Godalming.

A draw away to Haslemere tomorrow would clinch the championship - Kingstonian, who trail by 17 points, are away to Marlborough (1870) - but Pyrford cannot be too happy with the blemish on any otherwise faultless campaign.

Although Pyrford can expect to be popping the bubbly sometime in the next 24 hours, the occasion that Foggo will miss most is a trip to play in a final at a Test venue - especially given that his hasty return to Bermuda ended with St. David's losing not only a high-profile league clash to Western Stars but also their grip on the Eastern Counties Cup in the final against Bailey's Bay.

"We're trying to see if we can get Chris out for the final but we're not going to pay for him to come," Frank David, the BWIA manager, said after his side completed a routine, eight-wicket win over Lambeth Enterprises at Newbury Park, Essex, on Sunday. "We were all surprised to find out that he was no longer here and it looks as though he is going to miss out on playing at a Test ground." The final, scheduled for September 29, will feature a repeat of the 2001 championship match, when BWIA successfully chased 276 to defeat West Indian Cavaliers by four wickets. As a tune-up for the big match, BWIA will play against the Middlesex county side on September 20 in a benefit for Paul Weekes. David confirmed that Roland Butcher, Phil Simmons and the Northamptonshire pair of Carl Greenidge, the fast-bowling son of Gordon Greenidge, and Ricky Anderson, both products of BWIA cricket, will make guest appearances.

The penultimate week of the Surrey Championship season ended with Southern Railway gaining a winning draw at home to Warlingham. The visiting team reached 189 for eight declared before Railway stuttered to 137 for seven after a good start. Yours Truly made a team-high 46 before another unsatisfactory dismissal, chipping to long-off, prompted a collapse and short-circuited the run chase. The season finale is at home to Blackheath tomorrow with the incentive on offer of moving up three places to fifth.