Sudbrook go into this weekend's top-of-the-table clash with the upper-hand over local rivals Chepstow despite being a place below them in the league.

The visitors have a near full strength squad to pick from while Chepstow are missing almost their entire first team for the crunch match.

The home team are without nine players including influential captain Jason Dobbie, ex-Somerset batsman Nick Folland and the league's young player of the year Jake Kings. Opening bowlers Rhodri Fawsitt and Luke Watson, all-rounder David Monk and batsmen Tom Smith, Zak Watson and Dave Bennett are also missing.

 Meanwhile Sudbrook's only concern is Lewis Morgan who missed last weekend's win over Newport Fugitives through back injury.

Chepstow chairman Bob Hepworth said: "It is a real shame we will be fielding a severely weakened team in the biggest game of the season but as a club we have strength in depth and it will be a good opportunity for players who aren't always in the first team to test themselves at this level."

"We always struggle to put out our strongest team when it is the St John's-on-the-Hill speech day (where Folland is headmaster) as a number of our players work at the school, it just unfortunate that this year is falls on the same day as the Sudbrook game."

Always a fiercely contested match this season's first league meeting has more riding on it than any game for a number of years with both sides vying for promotion.

Chepstow may be top of the league but the form is with Sudbrook who came way victorious on the recent Macey Cup tie and beat them in the final game of last season.

Sudbrook captain Ross Lewis said: "Both sides are unbeaten so it should be a good game.

"We have been playing well and we just need to keep it going. Mitchell Slape and Rob Thorn are both back available this weekend which strengthens our bowling options and Matt Kinchin will come back in the middle-order so the only doubt we have is Lewis."

And although Lewis admits Saturday's game could be important in deciding where the league title ends up he says his side are in a stronger position having lost less games to the weather.

He said: "Although we are behind Chepstow we have played two more games and have a lot more points which means we will be less affected if we do have a bad week.

 "We have only really been pushed once this season – by St Fagans and the key for us is if we can keep the momentum going against some of the better teams, starting on Saturday."