Tickhill skipper hopes to avoid nail-biting finish in Yorkshire Cricket Southern Premier League title race

Tickhill and their fierce rivals Doncaster Town are level on points at the top of the table with six games to go. As luck would have it, the pair are due to meet on the final day of the season next month.

That clash could decide who wins the title, although Sheffield Collegiate are still firmly in contention and both Treeton and Wakefield Thornes will feel they have an outside chance.

“It keeps it really edgy,” said Rowland, whose side capitalised on Doncaster’s defeat to Collegiate last weekend to move level on points with them.

"Even teams that are fourth and fifth are probably only one good week away from being right in it.

"The Doncaster game is obviously a big one. It will be interesting if it’s still that way on the final day of the season, I think the nerves will be jangling at that stage.”

Doncaster thrashed Tickhill by 146 runs when they met back in June.

"It’s quite a big rivalry at the best of times, there’s no love lost between the lads,” said Rowland, now in his fifth season as Tickhill captain.

"It will be a big game, that’s probably the most diplomatic way I can put it.

"Ideally, we would have it wrapped up by then. But the way the season is going, everyone keeps beating everyone.”

Tickhill, who finished second behind Appleby Frodingham last season, have been helped by the contributions of overseas bowler Liam Guthrie this year.

Guthrie has represented Western Australia and Queensland in Australian first-class cricket.

Unfortunately for Tickhill, he played his final game for the club last weekend and will return to Australia this week.

"He’s had a good season,” said Rowland, who put last year’s failure to win the title down to the departure of overseas bowler Tian Koekemoer.

South African Koekemoer became the first player in the Yorkshire Cricket Southern Premier League to take all 10 wickets in an innings (10-38) as he single-handedly dismissed the entire Barnsley Woolley Miners order.

"No-one wants to finish second, apart from being relegated it’s the worst place in the league,” said Rowland.