ACCRINGTON professional Tama Canning is ready to crank up the gears in a bid to get the Thorneyholme Road club firing on all cylinders.
Canning has been nursing himself back to full health following a knee injury which has hindered his early outings.
But with the New Zealand all-rounder now fit and raring to go he is ready for a crunch weekend of league and cup action.
"It's coming along and I am just about back to 100 per cent," said Canning. "I have been taking it easy a bit with the knee and been a bit rusty. But I've been looking to strengthen the knee back up and I'm almost there."
Canning has been unable to bowl flat-out but has still been in decent touch with the bat and will be looking for more runs in a cup double-header and Lancashire League fixture at Rawtenstall over the Bank Holiday weekend.
"I've just started to hit some form and it was nice to get a couple of scores on the board last weekend," he added.
"Hopefully that's a good sign because this is an important weekend. Ifwe can get some decent runs I think we have got a chance of doing something in the cups."
First up, Accrington entertain Ramsbottom on Saturday in the Worsley Cup first-round tie which was washed out last weekend. Sunday sees Matt Wilson's men travel to Rawtenstall in pursuit of their first Lancashire League win of the season.
And on Monday, it's another away fixture with Werneth the opponents in the second round of the Inter-League Cup.
Accrington's victory over Walsden in the first-round, inspired by three wickets and 93 from Canning, is their only success to date.
But Canning, enjoying his third stint with the club, believes an upturn in fortunes is not far away.
He said: "The boys have had a bit of an interrupted start, with pros coming and going, but the amateurs have done well which is a good sign.
"We have come close and in the past couple of weeks we've had a couple of bad decisions. I think once we get that one win on the board we will get on a bit of a roll."
Canning was again out of luck last Saturday when a debatable leg before decision curtailed his run-chase in a rain-hit game against Todmorden.
Chasing Todmorden's 130, built around a lightning half-century from skipper Jon Henderson, Accrington were left stranded on 98-5 when the rains came to lose out on run-rate.
They might have got close had Canning not seen his effort nipped in the bud after he had made 53 with eight fours and a six.
Free-scoring professionals Alviro Petersen and Ruvin Peiris go head-to-head on Sunday when Enfield and Church clash in a local derby at Dill Hall Lane.
Petersen goes into the game in cracking form thanks to a remarkable second league century of the season in last Saturday's league win over Nelson.
The South African hammered a 72-ball century to inspire Enfield to a thrilling five-wicket success. Set 202 to win in 33 overs after Joe Scuderi and Australian professional had both made half-centuries, the visitors got home with just two balls to spare. Craig Fergusson, Adam Bracewell and Neil Holmes all made useful contributions, while Petersen destroyed the Nelson attack, hitting seven fours and eight sixes, including one onto the motorway.
His second 50 took just 17 deliveries as Danny Kegg went for 28 off one over as Enfield secured only their second win of the season.
Peiris hit 90 off 104 balls against Colne but could not end Church's losing streak as they suffered at the hands of the calculator.
In a rain-affected match, Colne were set a target of 137 and despite four wickets from Peiris got home by one-wicket with Church just a couple of balls away from a run-rate victory.
