THE long and winding road to the D M Hall Western Union title passes

through Paisley tomorrow with the two main contenders having switched

places as a result of last week's events.

Darren Walker returns to familiar haunts when Greenock visit

Ferguslie. The Australian all-rounder will again be a key man against

his former employers at Meikleriggs, especially as Scotland bowler Peter

Duthie will be missing due to a hamstring problem.

Duncan Drummond is still on holiday and his absence will be good news

for Ferguslie, who have come to regard him as a bit of a bogy man,

always in the runs against them. The home side have skipper Graham

Kennedy back from injury plus Ian McKechin coming in, while Colin Shaw

is unavailable and Michael McCahill drops out.

On the other side of town, Kelburne entertain a West of Scotland side

with a busy weekend in front of them. As well as chasing Union points,

the men from Hamilton Crescent have Scottish Cup duty on Sunday, not to

mention fitting in their NCA championship quarter-final at Alnwick,

abandoned last week.

Alan Williamson is off to a wedding so David Snodgrass returns to the

fold, but the man Kelburne will be most wary of is Sajid Ali, deprived

of the chance to break his own Union record of 185 not out by the

declaration against Drumpellier. Stranded four runs short, the little

Pakistani may fancy another try.

Although Clydesdale are third from bottom and Poloc third from top,

the South-side derby at Titwood is likely to be fiercely contested. The

home side are in form at last, producing their two best batting displays

in the past fortnight while Poloc are enjoying their most consistent

season in years.

Drumpellier, the reigning champions, regained some respectability in

their draw with West and are unchanged for the visit of Kilmarnock. They

currently prop up the League but will be nearer to full strength with

the return of five players missing last time out. Uddingston make the

trip to face Ayr at Cambusdoon.