Cricket: West Lothian skipper Andy Raven determined to stay on highest perch

It's a battle to the wire. With just two games to go before the four section split, six sides - leaders West Lothian, Dumfries, Poloc, Renfrew, Weirs and East Kilbride - still entertain valid aspirations of making the top four from whom the title winner will emerge.

West Lothian, back on top after a one-week hiatus, recall Davie Drylie and all-rounder Craig Black, but are without last week's teenage batting star Mikey Miller, away on Scotland U15 duty, for the tricky trip to RH Corstorphine. "We've introduced a conditioning coach, Siobhan Coleman, to work on our fitness levels this season," said Boghall skipper Andy Raven, "and our enhanced strength, together with the hurt felt after our East Kilbride disappointment, was instrumental in last week's demolition of Poloc. We're leading the pack once more, and our task now is to stay there." The mercurial Barnton men welcome back influential skipper Rob More.

Second-placed Dumfries, with veteran Davie Davidson back for unavailable Scotland U15 seamer Niall Alexander, make the testing journey to Public Park to face a largely underachieving Freuchie outfit still capable of matching any side on their day, and boosted by last week's battling 11-run win at Inverleith. The Fifers' all-rounder triumvirate of Scott Gourlay, Dale Cowan and pro Junaid Masood are all now fully firing, whilst the Doonhamers will again look to Scott Beveridge, whose wily left-arm spinners produced ten wickets last weekend.

Arguably the most intriguing tie of the day is at Shawholm, where Poloc, demoted to third slot after last week's Boghall debacle, must get back on track immediately against fifth-placed Weirs, for whom a win is similarly essential after last week's EK demise.

Poloc name an unchanged side, which means overseas amateur Tinus Huyser faces his former club, while the visitors, still without double centurion Russell Murray, seek a big innings from pro Ruan du Plessis.

Unpredictable Renfrew, currently fourth, also face a tough derby challenge when they head for Meikleriggs to face a Ferguslie side fresh from last week's trouncing of Penicuik thanks to a fine maiden SNCL century from emergent young keeper-batsman David Stafford, and yet another 50 from rejuvenated veteran skipper Stuart Kennedy.

East Kilbride, presently sixth, remained in the frame with Hari Singh's quickfire century at Weirs, and travel confidently to bottom club Penicuik, who, despite their lowly status, can still boast the Championship's leading batsman in pro Ryan Nurse with 449 runs.

Kelburne, who have skittled their opponents for 77 and 117 in successive weeks and then failed to chase, recall Ian Bennett and David Miller for the visit of Stenhousemuir, also toiling for runs, but still hopeful of an innings of substance from talented pro Rushdi Jappie.Falkland welcome back Craig Hepburn and fit-again Michael Cachia for the visit to Scroggie of Edinburgh Accies, who hand debuts to two promising all-rounders in Vikas Manoor and Siddharta Singh.