Weather proves
Where’s Fishing? Cliviger top pond fishing well on pole for silvers and carp on the tip popped up bread and pellet working. LANCASHIRE LEAGUE CRICKET ROUND-UP
THE Lancashire League fixtures had to deal with some troubling conditions over the weekend as the weather play a factor in the cricket matches taking place.
T20 cricket returned to Bentgate on Friday when Walsden were the visitors. Walsden won the toss and put Haslingden into bat.
Unfortunately, the rain came after 15 overs when Haslingden were 75-6 and it was not possible to get
●● back onto the field after the downpour. At that time Joe Sipocz was 27 not out. One point to each team.
Bacup hosted local rivals Rawtenstall and asked their opponents to bat first. They were soon in deep trouble on 38 for 7 with Naylor and Ben Lord both picking up three wickets. They recovered slightly to 50 for 7 after 15 overs when heavy rain brought an end to proceedings. As a result Bacup will probably have to win two away games at Middleton and Rochdale if they are to qualify for this year’s quarter final. Their T20 form over the last three years would suggest they are more than capable of doing this.
In Division One league action, Ramsbottom were victorious via the Duckworth/Lewis method after they picked up a 53 run win over Clitheroe at Acre Bottom.
Clitheroe won the toss and decided to field, with Ramsbottom bowled all out for 174 after top scores of 38 and 36 from Brad Fielding and Simon Hanson respectively.
Clitheroe were set a target of 101 runs from 25 overs, but they struggled with the bat and only finished on 47-5 after those 25 overs, with Ramsbottom claiming the comfortable win.
Accrington came up short at home as they were beaten by eight wickets against Burnley at Thorneyholme Road.
Burnley won the toss and decided to bowl first, and they were able to restrict Accrington to a low score of 90-8 from a reduced 46 overs, with only professional Karl Brown (37) managing to reach double figures.
Burnley were set a target of 103 runs due to the Duckworth/Lewis, and they eased to their total, needing just 15 overs to end on 103-2 and earn the dominant victory.
Rochdale were narrowly beaten as they lost by five runs on the Duckworth/Lewis method to Lowerhouse at Liverpool Road.
Lowerhouse batted first after Rochdale won the toss, and they finished on 144-9 at the end of a reduced 47 overs after a half century from Dean Barlow, hitting 50 from 76 runs.
Rochdale had got to 55-3 in 21 overs after Declan Wilkinson top scored with 27, but play was then halted due to the weather. With the match no longer able to continue, it was deemed that Rochdale needed to have scored 61 runs to win, and so they came up short and Lowerhouse earned the win.
Church lost away from home after being beaten by 24 runs to Todmorden on the Duckworth/Lewis method at Centre Vale.
Church won the toss and decided to field first, with Todmorden making 131-8 at the end of their 50 overs. Church’s innings saw Joel Gaskill make an unbeaten 32, but play was halted in the 33rd over due to the weather while Church were on 79-7. At that point, Church needed to have scored 104 runs to win, and so they were condemned to defeat by Todmorden.
Norden’s match with Walsden fell victim to the weather, with the teams unable to face a single ball at Woodhouse Lane and it ended in a no result. Elsewhere in Division One, Darwen’s match with Crompton at Birch Hall also ended in a no result.
In Division Two, Bacup travelled to Dill Hall Lane where they were invited to bat first on a difficult pitch.
Wickets fell at regular intervals with Fielding, Schofield and Thompson all departing without scoring and Newbitt and Chris Gansler scoring only four and six respectively.
Fortunately, Bacup’s in form professional survived a dropped catch and a run out chance before going on to make a splendid 78.
He was aided by Collinge who provided dogged resistance in making a very useful 22. Ben Lord (15 not out) and Bradford (13) then boosted Bacup ‘s total to 170 for 8 in 43 overs after rain had twice interrupted the innings.
In response Enfield were making steady if not spectacular progress on 62 for 0 after 20 overs when the rain came again. Bacup felt that the game should have got underway again before the cut off point, but it was not to be and the Bacup players and supporters were left bitterly disappointed as Enfield won by a narrow margin on the DLS method.
It was a similar take of woe at Lanehead where the second team made a useful score of 183 for 6. Scott Thompson (66), Sam Harris (30) and Charlie Gansler (35) all made useful contributions. In response Enfield were 113 for 4 with the game in the balance when rain ended ●● Graham Knowles batted well for his 45 runs in darkening conditions at Hare Hill the match with the opposition also winning on DLS.
Rain on Saturday meant the third team game at Littleborough did not go ahead.
After a washout on Sat