GOATACRE will be looking to book a quarter-final place on Sunday when they entertain Cornish champions Werrington in the last 16 of the National Village Cricket Championship, start 2.30pm.

Goatacre, national village champions in 1988 and 1990, reached the last 16 of the competition last year, only to falter at the hands of Cornish opposition.

Skipper Peter Turner said: "It will more than likely be a tough one for us, because we know the Cornish league is a strong league. Other than that, we don't know too much about them.

"The last time we met them was ten or 12 years ago and we beat them then, but we both have different teams now."

Werrington made it to the last 16 with a 95-run victory over Clyst St George two weeks ago. The winners of Sunday's showdown will travel to either Oxfordshire champions Shipton-under-Wychwood or Ynystawe, of South Wales, in the quarter-finals.

Should Goatacre progress all the way to the Lord's final on September 1, Sunday's game will be the last in which they have home advantage.

Turner believes his side's knowledge of their home ground could prove crucial against Werrington.

He said: "It is a small ground, but isn't tiny by any means. It is deceiving and sides come to us and see us hitting sixes, but then find it isn't quite as easy when they come into bat.

"The only thing we're hoping for is decent enough weather for us to fulfil the fixture at home. If it is rained off or abandoned, then it is reversed and we would have to travel to Werrington on the following Sunday."