The Island senior team face a gruelling six days in the ICC Europe Division Two Championships which will be held on Corfu next week. The squad, which is sponsored by Isle of Man Bank, will play seven matches in temperatures which are forecast to be over 30 degrees.

Such conditions are common place to many of the countries taking part, such as Greece, Israel, Cyprus and Malta. Clearly the Manx will be hard pressed to overcome this disadvantage, particularly after our current “summer”.

However coach Gareth Dawson has been hard at work with special training sessions, diet advice and fitness to counter the problem. The inclusion of a top physio in the party is obviously significant.

Twelve countries are taking part in the tournament. They have been split into two leagues of six and then there will be semi-finals and finals on the last two days. The top two sides will be promoted to Division One, while the bottom team is to be relegated.

The Manx are in Division B with Cyprus, Sweden, Greece, Croatia and Finland.  Division A contains Israel, Portugal, Spain, Estonia, Malta and Luxembourg.

All the games are Twenty20 and on the first day the Island has two matches. In the morning they meet Cyprus and later their opponents are Sweden.

The Island squad is Ricky Kniveton of Crosby. Also named are Max Stokoe, Alex Stokoe, Gareth Dawson, Dan Hawke (Cronkbourne); Danny Kniveton (Crosby); Ollie Webster (Ramsey); Garreth Roome, Gareth Morris, Mark Williams (Castletown); Russell Miller, Phil Littlejohns (Peel); Akkie van der Berg, Greg Hawke (St John’s).

Gareth Dawson will also manage the side, the coach is Andrew Parkin-Coates with Mark Young as physio.

This week-end the Standard Bank Premiership returns with the prospect of an exciting climax. With just two games left, three teams are in contention for the title. Ramsey top the table, but Valkyres and Cronkbourne are each only one point behind.

The big game on Sunday will be the local derby between Valkyres and Cronkbourne. The two teams clash at Tromode with the loser almost certainly dropping out of the title chase.

Cronkbourne are missing the Stokoe brothers who are away with the Island squad and must rely on their youth team for replacements. After a poor campaign in the T20 league, Valkyres will relish the chance to display their skills in the 40 over competition. This game could be very close.

Ramsey are at home to Crosby who are in fourth place. Although the northern club are without skipper Ollie Webster, they still start as favourites to take all the points.

At Mullen-e-Cloie St John’s will be hard pressed to defeat Castletown. The Saints miss Island players Greg Hawke, Akkie van der Berg and Russell Miller. That will leave the bowling dangerously short and the Town batsmen could cash in.

A major factor however will once again be the weather with many of the Island's grounds having reached water saturation point. A prolonged dry spell is desperately required.