There is a busy time ahead in the Norwich Union League, with matches coming up on Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday when the lights will be burning brightly.

The feature match is on Sunday when leaders Worcestershire Royals take on second-placed Glamorgan Dragons at New Road. The Royals have an eight-point lead, but the Dragons have two games in hand, so the Welsh will be arriving breathing fire and hoping to narrow the gap.

The Dragons will be in action on Saturday, at home to Somerset Sabres. With games in hand, the Sabres will be hoping to cut back on the deficit that leaves them struggling in the relegation zone. Also on Saturday in Division One, Durham Dynamos, who have been charging up the table, meet Kent Spitfires while Yorkshire Phoenix must be looking to rise to the occasion against Nottinghamshire Outlaws. It is a pity this game could not have been scheduled for Scarborough – so close to Robin Hood's Bay.

In Division Two on Saturday, leaders Gloucestershire Gladiators entertain Lancashire Lightning at Bristol, with the visitors trying to strike a blow for the chasing pack. Surrey Lions head that group in second place and they go into the second half of their term against third-placed Northamptonshire Steelbacks at Whitgift School. Derbyshire Scorpions and Hampshire Hawks both have 14 points from eight matches and they meet at Derby.

Apart from the match of the day at Worcester on Sunday, the fur could fly at Edgbaston where third-placed Warwickshire Bears play Leicestershire Foxes, who are fourth. In Division Two, the Hampshire Hawks fly straight from their encounter at Derby on Saturday to meet Northamptonshire Steelbacks in Northampton on Sunday. Meanwhile, Middlesex Crusaders will be defending their own castle at Lord's with Essex Eagles the visitors.

Monday sees two floodlit matches with, appropriately, Durham Dynamos the visitors at Headingley against Yorkshire Phoenix and Gloucestershire Gladiators on a sortie to Hove to meet Sussex Sharks.

The lights will be on at Old Trafford on Tuesday when Lancashire Lightning play Hampshire Hawks, while Surrey Lions will learn more about their promotion prospects against Middlesex Crusaders in their second match at Whitgift School.

Surrey Lions move south to Hove on Wednesday with teeth bared to meet Sussex Sharks while interest will be focused on top and bottom of Division One as Worcestershire Royals play Nottinghamshire Outlaws in another floodlit match that should draw a big crowd.

© CricInfo