BARNSLEY Woolley Miners are set for a relegation showdown at Wickersley Old Village on Saturday in Yorkshire Premier South.
The Shaw Laners have lost seven league games in a row and are second-bottom, four points off safety, with four games left.
They have won four of 18 games, losing 13. Wickersley overtook them this week and moved up to third-bottom.
After the Wickersley fixture, Barnsley’s final three games of the season are against Tickhill, Wakefield Thornes and Whitley Hall – all of whom are currently in the top seven.
With two teams due to go down, Barnsley are in danger of being relegated and playing outside the top division of Yorkshire cricket.
Captain Boeta Beukes said: “I would say it is a must-win match.
“Wickersley have got some players in now and are getting a few wins.
“They will come into it with a positive mindset compared to us.
“We have to try to get at them early and put pressure on them.
“It’s more or less a cup final, like all the games now.
“We just need to prepare well and perform on the day.
“It is difficult to keep confidence up but we all know there is talent in the squad.
“We have to deal with the situation we have put ourselves in.
“Barnsley has always been a high-end club and you never want to be the team who takes them down.
“We knew before the season we had lost a lot of players and it could be tough.
“We will give everything to stay up but, if we go down, we will look to come back stronger next year.”
The Shaw Laners are now playing without their overseas signing Sean Whitehead.
He returned to his native South Africa earlier this month having taken 38 wickets, the most of any Barnsley first team player, and made the second most runs with 474.
