Rain wrecks campaign’s opening ties
LANCASHIRE LEAGUE CRICKET THE Fosters Lancashire League campaign begins in earnest this weekend with the weather set fair for action on Sunday.
The 2017 season stalled on the starting blocks last weekend with rain accounting for all eight matches.
The only game to get underway featured newcomers Great Harwood, who travelled to Colne and made 73-5 having been put into bat before the weather hit.
Mas Ahmed got off to a promising start for the visitors with a couple of boundaries, but Andy Hakin picked up his wicket with the experienced batsman on 11.
Hamim Miah then fell to John Lambert before pro Ashen Silva offered some resistance with a knock of 28.
Kegg went on to collect the wickets of Allan Armer (4) and Paul Houldsworth (2) with Silva still at the crease on 25 runs when rain forced an early end to the innings.
Haslingden play host to Colne this weekend and will hope to take advantage of the fact their India A captain, Unmukt Chand, is yet to arrive. The game will see Haslingden pro Nicholas Benton, a 25-year-old Aussie, make his debut for the club having signed in the close season.
Darwen make their Lancashire League bow when they entertain Church, who include Usman Tariq as sub pro with Zain Abbas having been ●● Usman Tariq selected for Pakistan in the One Day Cup. He is due to arrive in England at the end of the month.
Former Accrington professional Ockert Erasmus will be among the Lowerhouse ranks when they play host to Ramsbottom, who lost Daryn Smit to Derbyshire over the close season and recruited Grant Thomson to fill his sizeable shoes. The South African is a right-handed batsman and opening bowler for Northerns and Titans and comes recommednded by Smit.
Rawtenstall are on the road at Nelson with Andrew Payne set to make his bow as pro having featured as an amateur for the club six years ago.
Clitheroe are without their pro, Pakistani Fawad Alam, but will field a sub-pro in their home match against Burnley, for whom Chris Holt has re-signed for the 2017 campaign.
Kelly Smuts, formerly of Rishton, will line up for new club Todmorden when they take on Enfield, who will hope to field Indian Dwaraka Ravi Teja after the call up of Jon-Jon Smuts to the South Afrian A tour.