Smith-Butler let down by Boro bowlers
A POOR bowling display from Littleborough took the shine off an excellent batting display from Littleborough opener Joe Smith-Butler.
The home side won the toss and decided to bat on a warm but wind swept Hare Hill.
Kaber had no hesitation in deciding to bat on what looked a good batting track.
Pye and Smith-Butler put on 55 for the first wicket against an innocuous Haslingden attack.
This all changed when the visitors turned to spin as Pye got a leaning edge trying to turn the ball through mid wicket and was caught at slip off the visiting pro Chulam.
Things turned from bad to worse when Kaber slapped a full toss straight back at Shannon and he held onto the catch one handed leaving the home side 60-2.
Hernon was promoted up the order after some promising displays as he repaid his faith in his skipper as he and Smith-Butler put on 76 for the third wicket seeing the Littleborough opener pass 50 along the way.
Hernon fell for a solid 39 to leave the home side on 136-3 and this became 153-4 when Miskella foolishly charged Ghulam and was stumped for seven when he should have been rotating the strike giving SmithButler the strike who was by now seeing the ball like the proverbial football.
Rushton and Nash gave the opener the support he was looking for as they made 21no and 17 respectively as the innings closed on 213-6.
It was a shame Smith-Butler didn’t go on to rack up a deserved century as he fell for 87 off 128 balls which included eight fours.
Haslingden had several loud appeals turned down throughout the innings and this continued when Littleborough took to the field as more appeals were turned as the umpires missed a good game and seemed to think they had done their job by not giving any decisions all day.
The Haslingden innings started poorly for this young Littleborough attack and didn’t get any better throughout the innings as they coasted to their total with over eight overs to spare.
Body language was poor, hands in pockets, arms folded, hands on hips did not help the cause neither but they were crying out for another slow bowling option.
Knowles made 75 no but was put down on nought by Nash, Smith-Butler took the first wicket to leave Haslingden on 37-1 but they did not take another wicket until the score had reached 205-2 as Kaber picked up a couple of consolation poles.
The star of the show for Haslingden was their pro who hit an entertaining 107.
Littleborough travel to Rawtenstall on Sunday.