A HUGE weekend of cricket awaits Westhoughton and captain Rob Houghton is relishing the prospect of going on the road to take on two of the league’s finest sides.

Tomorrow they travel to title-chasing Farnworth Social Circle before their Peter Stafford Trophy quarter-final the following day, when they make the journey to holders Kearsley, whose chances will be enhanced by a new recruit, Zimbabwean all-rounder Sean Ervine.

Westhoughton were comfortable winners over Social Circle in the previous meeting in June, by 49 runs in a low-scoring game at St George’s Oval.

And, while he would love to take a second Social Circle scalp in tomorrow’s reverse meeting in the league, Houghton admits there is more riding on Sunday’s game.

“The Peter Stafford match is bigger for us this weekend,” he said.

“We’re a bit stuck in the middle of the league table so the trophy game, against the defending champions, is a big one.

“We had a good win against Social Circle at home when we last met so obviously we’d like to do something like that again this time. It will be difficult though, they are a very good side and I think, over the next few years, they will continue to be successful.

“They’ve got some very good amateur players, some of the best amateurs around, like Chris Barrow and Ryan Ayres so we’ll have to play well.”

Westhoughton’s recent form, and perhaps their whole league campaign, could best be described as inconsistent, meaning they have little to play for in the Premiership, having won six and lost seven matches so far.

And so the chance to knock out the Peter Stafford Trophy holders – and gain a measure of revenge for two league defeats to Kearsley – is a big motivation for them.

“We’ve lost both of our league games against them this year,” added Houghton.

“We have been a bit inconsistent but we’ve got some good young lads in so we’ve looked at this year as a bit of a learning year, to help their development.

“We feel like we owe Kearsley one, but then they’re a very decent side with good players, and I believe they’ll have a new professional for this game, Sean Ervine from Hampshire.

“He’s a very good player, a household name, so it will be hard but it’s a game we’ll look forward to, it should be a decent one if we can get it going ahead.

“You just can’t trust the weather anymore, can you?

“We’ve only had one game called off this season though [at home to Premiership strugglers Daisy Hill last month] so we can’t moan too much. I’ll see what it’s like when I open the curtains on Sunday morning.”