Vauxhall Mallards skipper Paul Bradshaw insists tomorrow's clash against Swardeston will have no bearing on the forthcoming cup finals between the giants of Norfolk cricket.

Vauxhall Mallards skipper Paul Bradshaw insists tomorrow's clash against Swardeston will have no bearing on the forthcoming cup finals between the giants of Norfolk cricket.

Mallards and Swardeston face each other in the Carter Cup and Biss Trophy finals - but before then there is the small matter of a crucial EAPL game tomorrow.

Bradshaw said: "They are completely separate games because in the league you have the possibility of a draw and one side could bat 66 overs, while the other might bat only 54.

"Of course, everybody is looking forward to the cup finals, but that will have no bearing on us for the league game. We always relish the challenge of facing Swardeston. They have been our main adversaries for as long as I have been playing.

"The Carter Cup is one of the biggest events in the Norfolk calendar and the Biss Trophy is floodlit at Brundall this year, so that is something the lads have been targeting."

Leaders Swardeston are currently 35 points clear of Mallards, who are in sixth, but Bradshaw has not ruled out catching Mark Thomas' team, especially after the league was thrown wide open last Saturday when the top two both lost.

Bradshaw said: "I think even a draw of some sort does not put us out of it. But a win would put us right back in the mix and we are playing well at the moment so we are confident."

Bottom side Fakenham stunned Swardeston last weekend, but Bradshaw does not think that will have any effect on tomorrow's game: "I don't really worry about what other sides do," he said. "We had a decent win over Norwich and that gives us more confidence. I would be no less confident if Swardeston had won last weekend."

Elsewhere tomorrow, Fakenham could move off the bottom for the first time since early June if they manage to follow up last Saturday's shock win with another good result at Great Witchingham.

Norwich host a Godmanchester side who have ghosted into title contention and are now Swardeston's closest rivals.

And Horsford could not wish to be in better form for their trip to champions Bury, as Paul Newman's side have won both of their last two games.