NOT IMPRESSED:Lennox Head captain Ben Peterson hasn?t forgotten the drama of last season.

By STEVE SPINKS

LENNOX Head cricket captain Ben Peterson is fully aware of recent history going into today's vital Far North Coast LJ Hooker League clash with Southern Districts at Nesbitt Park, South Lismore.

It will be the first time the two teams have met since last season's disastrous semi-final at Oakes Oval when an unaware council worker watered the pitch overnight during the two-day game.

Chasing 165 for victory, Lennox resumed on the wet pitch at 3-51 only to be bowled out for 79 after the wicket played havoc with the seasiders' middle order.

Souths went on to win their second consecutive title.

The council apologised.

Lennox were gutted.

It was the first time since the Hooker League's inception that the village had made the semi-finals and there was little room for protest through the Hooker League committee. To say it left a bitter taste in the mouth of all involved would be an understatement.

With that in mind, today's fixture looms as an extremely important match for both teams.

Lennox sit in equal fourth on 20 points, with Souths three points further back in equal sixth.

"I'm sure it (the semi-final) will be on everyone's mind," Peterson told The Northern Star.

"It's a big game for us and we'd like to right the wrong of last year.

"We were more upset at not getting a proper hearing. We think that should have been looked at."

Both teams are almost replica line-ups from the two that fought it out during the 'wet' semi-final.

But both have had a slow start to the season.

"We haven't had a good start but we just haven't played a lot of cricket," Peterson said.

"There's been so many wash-outs that it's hard to get into a rhythm so I don't really know what sort of form the team is in.

"But it's always good to bat against Souths because they have a good bowling attack, so if you make runs you know you've played all right." The Souths and Lennox match-up is not the only important fixture today.

Equal fourth Marist Brothers (20) take on Alstonville (16), who are in equal eighth position, only four points behind, at Hill Park Oval, Wollongbar. Equal sixth-placed Ballina Bears (17) take on equal eighth Lismore Workers (16) at Fripp Oval, Ballina, with the Redmen breathing down the hosts' neck.

Meanwhile, the Casino Cavaliers and Eastern Districts meet in a top-of-the-table clash at Queen Elizabeth Park, Casino, while the third-placed Tintenbar-East Ballina square-off with cellar-dwellers Norths-Goonellabah RSL at Kingsford Smith South, Ballina.

n THE Lismore City Council reopened all urban and rural sporting fields yesterday.

The fields were closed earlier in the week due to rain. The fields are now open and can be used at the hirer's discretion. The council's we weather hotline is 6627 4111.

HOOKER LEAGUE RESULTS:

Round 1: Alstonville d Workers (outright), Marist Brothers d Norths-Goonellabah RSL, Easts d Souths, Casino Cavaliers d Lennox Head, Tintenbar-East Ballina drew with Ballina Bears (rain).

Round 2: Easts d Lennox Head, Souths d Norths-Goonellabah RSL, Tintenbar-East Ballina d Workers, Casino Cavaliers d Alstonville, Marist Brothers tied with Ballina Bears.

Round 3: Easts d Marist Brothers, Lennox Head d Alstonville, Casino Cavaliers d Ballina Bears, Workers d Norths-Goonellabah RSL, Tintenbar-East Ballina d Souths.

Round 4: Norths-Goonellabah RSL drew with Casino Cavaliers, Marist Brothers drew with Tintenbar-East Ballina, Souths drew with Workers, Easts d Alstonville, Lennox Head d Ballina Bears.

Round 5: Norths-Goonellabah RSL drew with Lennox Head, Tintenbar-East Ballina drew with Easts, Casino Cavaliers drew with Souths, Marist Brothers drew with Workers, Ballina Bears d Alstonville.

Points: Easts 32, Casino Cavaliers 29, Tintenbar-East Ballina 26, Marist Brothers 20, Lennox Head 20, Ballina Bears 17, Souths 17, Alstonville 16, Workers 16, Norths-Goonellabah RSL 11.