THE weight of expectation proved too great for Lydney in a Recreation Ground contest thought likely to decide the league title. Ruthlessly put to the sword, Lydney now have to win their three remaining matches and hope Painswick, who have taken over as front-runners, are defeated at least once.

But there's another fly in the Lydney ointment.

It's that time of year when cricket coincides with rugby and soccer and inevitably the winter games win. That could mean Will Jones, last season's Lydney rugby captain, and his opening batting partner Jon Kear, a Lydney Town footballer, are slapping on liniment rather than slipping on pads.

The rugby club is already certain to have the services of pace bowler Paul Morris who is chief coach.

"It's something you live with. For years it has happened at Lydney. We don't put any pressure on the players and they have to make up their own minds. Probably losing on Saturday will sway the issue," said cricket club official Andrew Davis.

Deeply involved in Lydney sport, Davis knows the score. "We usually come second," he says.

Conceding Painswick were the better side, Davis said Lydney had started solidly with Kear and Jones putting on a 44 run opening partnership. However a collapse followed. A gritty little innings from Charlie Bendall and a flourish from the tailenders did nothing to excite expectations and the Severnsiders were taking tea an over early.

Set a lowly total of 152 to win, Painswick began steadily. With no pressure to score quickly they took no chances and overhauling Lydney's disappointing score for the loss of only two wickets.

Davis was not overly disappointed. "If some one had told us in April we would finish second in the league we would have been delighted. It has been a great summer for the club. We field three teams every weekend plus a mid-week side and two very successful youth teams. It is all going very well," he said.