NUL action comes to the boil this Sunday

There are only five matches on Sunday in the penultimate round of Norwich Union League matches, but there is something significant at stake in all of them to make sure they will be played with the intensity of cup-ties.

The big two in Division One are involved, with Glamorgan Dragons set to take the title if they can go to Canterbury and beat Kent Spitfires. It was back in 1993 at this time of year that they took a similar journey when either Kent or Glamorgan could have won the title on the final day of the season. The Welsh county had a certain I.V.A Richards in their ranks at the time as they took the title in front of a crowd that had started queuing in the early hours of the morning.

If the Dragons should slip up, Worcestershire Royals are ready to pounce. They are six points behind and know that only a win at Trent Bridge will keep them in the hunt. They will not be able to take too much solace from the fact that Nottinghamshire Outlaws are already relegated.

The big match in Division Two is at Northampton where the Steelbacks meet the Essex Eagles. The Eagles allowed Surrey Lions to clinch promotion alongside Gloucestershire Gladiators when they lost by a mere two runs last week, but can clinch their own promotion with a win here. They are two points in front ot the Steelbacks. Should the home side prevail, the fight goes into the final week of the season.

Lancashire Lightning go to Shenley to meet Middlesex Crusaders knowing that they cannot get into the promotion frame, but wanting to avoid a bottom four placing in League to avoid first-class opposition in the third round of the C&G Trophy next season. The same thought will be on Derbyshire Scorpions' minds as they go to Hove to meet Sussex Sharks who, like the Crusaders, could escape that fate if all the results go in their favour.