CHESHIRE captain Andy Hall is confident he will be fit for his team's next Minor Counties Championship Western Division clash with Wiltshire at Alderley Edge, which starts on Sunday.
He missed Cheshire's trip to Bournemouth through injury as the county registered a winning draw away to Dorset.
Hall sustained a rib injury while playing for the ECB Representative XI and has been absent from the county line-up for the last fortnight.
He was adamant his team should have beaten Dorset, having had them 75-5 on the final afternoon of play. But although Hall accepts his side must probably win all of their remaining three domestic fixtures, there is a still a slight hope Cheshire can win the title if results go their way.
Confidence is certainly not lacking, especially following the arrival of new recruit Graeme Archer who shone in his first game for Cheshire with scores of 33 and then 86 in the second innings.
And the former Nottinghamshire and Staffordshire batsman admitted he has settled into the team well and is confident Cheshire can improve as the season progresses.
His view is shared by Cheshire chairman Gerry Hardstaff, who is confident his team can beat Wiltshire in their next game but knows his side must win all their remaining games to qualify for the Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy for next season.
'We have got to finish quite high in the league and to do that we can't afford any more slip-ups,' he said.
The Cheshire team to face Wiltshire includes the return of Chester Boughton Hall's Steve Ogilby following duty with Northern Ireland. The team is: Andy Hall (captain, Bramhall); Graeme Archer (no club); Dave Pennett, Alexis Twigg (Harrogate); Simon Renshaw (Kibworth); Robin Fisher, Stephen Ogilby (Boughton Hall); Danny Jones, Chris Jones, Danny Leech, Jason Whittaker (Oulton Park). Twelfth man: Mike Bolger (Bramhall).
