WIDNES will capitalise on a season's hard work if they can beat Toft in a crucial Murray Smith Accountants Cheshire County League First Division promotion battle at Beaconsfield road tomorrow.

With four games remaining, Widnes currently lie second - behind Poynton - with 300 points, 28 ahead of their visitors and while this deficit will narrowed if their Knutsford-based visitors win, victory would make Widnes certainties to go up. Toft are without the talented Noble brothers, Cambridge Blue David and Jamie, on holiday, while Widnes skipper Andy Woods expects to have a full-strength team available, including wicketkeeper Ian Spencer who played well for Cheshire against Shropshire this week.

Widnes believe a return to ECB Premier League cricket will revitalise the club and attract new players, including former ace spinner Ibra Ali who is set to return after a spell at Todmorden.

If Widnes can avoid defeat, they should go on to achieve their obective as their three remaining games are not especially testing, against Cheadle Hulme at home, Congleton away and Brooklands at home.

At the foot of the table, Heaton Mersey look doomed and the second relegation spot appears to rest between neighbours Warrington and Grappenhall, with only one point separating the old rivals.

Warrington go to Congleton tomorrow, while Grappenhall, who scored a magnificent last ball victory over Congleton last weekend, visit Brooklands. Grappenhall will be without former Lancashire batsman Richard Green, who is considering a move to play in Norfolk cricket next summer.

The issue is more clear-cut at the top of Division Two with Christleton and Birkenhead Park both set for promotion. Christleton have not been at their best in recent weeks, but have lost only one game all season and lead the table by 18 points prior to tomorrow's home game against Irby.

Birkenhead Park visit bottom of the table Marple.

* CHESHIRE have signed Huyton's West Indies Test fast bowler Marlon Black to bolster their chances of beating Bedfordshire at Luton in the first round of next season's Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy on Thursday, August 28.

Also signed up for a one-off appearance is Australian all-rounder Clinton Perren.