National call-up for Hartwell
SWIMMING SWIMMER Beth Hartwell only began open water swimming a couple of weeks ago and she has already won a place in a national competition in Sheffield.
Twelve-year-old Beth, from Norden, is a Year 7 student at Haslingden High School and swims in the school team and also for Pioneer 79 in Accrington.
She took part in the North West Open Water Swimming Championships at Salford Quays.
Beth was second overall in the North West and was the first Lancashire swimmer to finish, earning her a place in the nationals.
She said: “It was really cold and you were not allowed to swim in a wetsuit. You had two practice swims to acclimatise and then had to swim three laps of 500m each. It was the first ever time I have competed in open water, I am more used to swimming in a pool.
“When you first get in it is so cold your heart beats really fast and your breathing is so quick. You have to focus to calm everything down before you swim.
“When the race starts there is a front group, a middle one, a back one for those who can’t swim fast. I was in the middle and I maintained the same swimming pace all the way round whereas the others dropped off, then on the last bit I just sprinted.
“I was really happy that I was second because it was one of the biggest sporting achievements I have ever done.”
It was her mum Cath’s determination to complete an iron man challenge – a 2.4mile swim, 112 mile bike ride and then a marathon – that spurred Beth into trying open water swimming.
She is now ranked in the top 10 open water swimmers for her age. ●● Church opener Levi Wolfenden lost his wicket for just four runs in the defeat against Haslingden at the weekend LANCASHIRE LEAGUE CRICKET ROUND-UP SHELDAN KEAY
HASLINGDEN Cricket Club booked their place in the final of the Worsley Cup after a dominant 120 run victory at Church on Sunday.
The visitors were in total control throughout, earning themselves the victory and setting up a clash in the final against Burnley next month, after they managed to defeat Enfield by 46 runs.
Church won the toss and decided to field against Haslingden, but it didn’t turn out to be a good decision.
Opener Phil Hayes was in fine form from the offset, with the Church bowlers unable to dismiss him.
Fellow opener Graham Knowles went for 19, while professional Babar Naeem (13) and Lewis McIntosh (14) couldn’t add anything significant either.
It didn’t stop Hayes though, as he passed his century and finished unbeaten on 106 to put his team firmly in the driving seat.
Alex Coleman also chipped in for Haslingden as he ended on 48 not out to help his side post a total of 238-3 at the end of their 50 overs.
Church got off to a poor start in their reply, with the Haslingden bowlers taking a number of early wickets.
Professional Zain Abbas was clean bowled by McIntosh for just four runs, with fellow opener Levi Wolfenden not doing much better as he was dismissed by Lee Ingham for five.
Craig Fergusson had made just one run when McIntosh caught him lbw, meaning that Church were 20-3 at one stage.
The home side tried to steady the ship when Bilal Abbas (29) and Josh Scully (26) hit some decent scores, but before men eventually fell and Church struggled from that point onwards.
The final six batsmen could manage just 36 runs between them, with Church eventually bowled all out for 118 after 39 overs.
Babar Naeem was the pick of the bowlers for Haslingden, finishing with figures of 4-11, while McIntosh (2-22), Ingham (2-32) and Knowles (1-15) all took wickets too.
While it was a successful day in the Worsley Cup for Haslingden, they didn’t have the same enjoyment in the Lancashire League, as the weather caused havoc yet again.
Only three out of the 12 teams managed to bat at some stage during the day on Saturday, with all of the games ending in a no result.
Haslingden stay in joint fifth place in the table after they scheduled match against Rishton at Blackburn Road couldn’t go ahead.
They’ve won five of their 15 league matches, with three loses and seven no results so far this season.
Ramsbottom’s poor run of luck goes on after they were unable to play a Lancashire League match for the fifth week running.
It means they now haven’t completed a game since they defeated Haslingden by 21 runs back on June 5.
They were set to host East Lancashire at Acre Bottom on this occasion, but once again the weather had other ideas.
Ramsbottom stay top of the Lancashire League table, with seven wins and a staggering eight no results so far.
Rawtenstall were scheduled to host fellow strugglers Accrington but the weather ended those plans too, meaning Rawtenstall stay in 12th place with three wins, five losses and seven no results.
Bottom of the table ●● Graham Knowles, Haslingden skipper, scored 19 in his side’s victory against Church Bacup were set to travel to Centre Vale to face Todmorden, but that game was also called off.
While the Lancashire League may have fell victim to the weather, the Twenty20 competition