New NUL leaders should confirm their position in the next round of matches

The new leaders of the Norwich Union League Division One, Worcestershire Royals, take on the bottom club, Durham Dynamos, in the next round of matches to be played this Sunday with every prospect of maintaining their place at the top of the table. Not only did they get there by ousting the existing leaders in their last match, but they meet a side still looking for their first point of the season. The unpredictability of cricket in this competition is one of its great appeals, but it would be a major upset if the Royals did not win again at New Road this weekend.

Warwickshire Bears - the team deposed by the Royals last week - meet defending champions Kent Spitfires at Edgbaston. The Spitfires came through strongly at the end of last season to grab the title and are in a reasonable position now, two wins away from the leaders but with a game in hand on the Royals and two in hand on the Bears. And a win at Edgbaston would really give their season some momentum, something against which the Bears will be on their guard.

There are two other fixtures in Division One. Glamorgan Dragons are level on points with the Kent Spitfires, but they have only played three matches in the competition so far this season. They go to Taunton to meet the Somerset Sabres buoyed by their recent success playing as Wales against England. Steffan Jones will revert to being a Sabre in this fixture after masquerading as a Dragon in the "international".

Nottinghamshire Outlaws have had a pretty miserable time this season. The only difference between their record and that of Durham Dynamos is that they had one match washed out, and so have two points to show for their endeavours. They have an east Midlands derby at Grace Road against Leicestershire Foxes who have at least won once this year, but once only.

In Division Two the leaders are Gloucestershire Gladiators. They meet Essex Eagles who are six points behind but who have two matches in hand. If the Eagles are to soar, they will need to win this one, but they will be without their talismanic captain Ronnie Irani who is away on international duty. The Gladiators, on the other hand, will have all guns blazing.

Surrey Lions are only two points adrift of the leaders, and they have what looks like an easy match against Lancashire Lightening, although they have to travel to Old Trafford. Lightening are languishing, just off the bottom, lost by six wickets in the corresponding match at The Oval, so they need to strike once in this fixture, let alone twice.

In a process reminiscent of evolution itself, the Sussex Sharks move inland from their Hove headquarters to Arundel to play Middlesex Crusaders. The visitors have four points from two wash-outs so far this season, while the Sharks have only just begun to show their teeth, although one win might suggest they are only milk teeth at this stage.