Bacup bounce back into form
AFTER a couple of very disappointing weekends, Bacup bounced back to form with an excellent win at Alexandra Meadows against an in form East Lancashire team.
Bacup won the toss and elected to bat first. On a wicket with variable bounce, which gave plenty of encouragement to the bowlers, Bacup did well to bat the majority of their 50 overs in making 145.
Skipper Simon Newbitt got the visitors off to a good start scoring an enterprising 39 off 44 balls and professional Chiggy Khurana made a patient 53, his first half century of the season.
Lawrence Adlum made a useful 15 in an important fourth wicket stand of 49 whilst Joe Bolton bowled an impressive spell for the home team taking 5 for 23.
Bacup turned to their most experienced bowlers in Lord and Khurana in their attempt to defend a modest total. East Lancs struggled to put any partnerships together as the pair ran through the batting order with professional Khurana continuing his excellent form with the ball picking up 6 for 38 and Lord equally impressive taking 4 for 29 as East Lancs were dismissed for only 70 in 27.2 overs. The Bacup professional has already taken 20 wickets at an average of only 7.85.
The second eleven suffered a loss at home to Enfield. On an excellent
Bacup wicket Enfield made 215 for 8 in their 45 overs. Keeper AndersonPerkins top scored with 47 for the visitors, whilst Matt Thompson on his return to action picked up 4 for 38 and youngster Theo Goddard again picked up a couple of wickets.
Bacup never really threatened the total and were bowled out for 132 in 40.4 overs with John Syers top scoring with 40.
The third eleven were not in action last weekend.
Accrington returned to winning ways with a derby victory against Great Harwood at Cliffe Park.
The home side won the toss and took first knock, making 223-6 from their 50 overs.
Both Matt Oddie (56) and Thikshila De Silva (50) struck half centuries while opener Caleb Green hit 35 and Kasir Masood was unbeaten on 42 from just 19 deliveries faced.
Accrington’s reply got off to a strong start with Jacob Clarke (62) and Ben Gorton (54) putting on 95 for the first wicket.
They finally reached their target in the 49th over with Mohammed Tayyib’s unbeaten 35 from just 17 balls helping them across the line.
Church picked up ten points after their beat Greenmount at West End by five wickets.
The visitors won the toss and batted first, making 178-9 from their 50 overs.
Best with the bat was Callum Hunter’s unbeaten 38 and 31 from Travis Townsend as Neil Hornbuckle impressed with the
ball, claiming 5-46 including the top three Greenmount batsmen.
Man of the match Hornbuckle then struck 68 in Church’s reply, while Josh Scully contributed 41, the home side easing home in the 42nd over.
Colne emerged victorious in the battle of the top two at The Horsfield, beating Rawtenstall by four wickets. The visitors won the toss and elected to bat first and while Matt Kershaw (26), Sam Kershaw (27) and Rizwan Shafiq (23) all played themselves in, none of their batsmen accumulated the kind of big score anticipated in such favourable conditions. The tail failed to wag and they were all out for
142 in the 41st over.
Geeth Kumara took 5-15 from his 11 overs.
Colne hit the target in the 37th over, though it had been far from plain sailing. They had looked uncomfortable at 23-3 but Kumara’s unbeaten 55 helped steady them and see them over the winning line.
Rishton got little joy out of their trip to Crompton, losing by 99 runs.
Crompton won the toss and batted first, making 245-5. Mohammed Jamal hit 122 and Aqib Zulfiqar 55 while Asif Fazal ended not out 32.
Despite Dale Phillips’ 58 from 49 deliveries, Rishton were always on the back foot and were dismissed in the 32nd over for 146, Fazal following up his impressive batting with a seven-wicket haul, ending with 7-46 from just 9.2 overs.
Middleton beat Nelson by eight wickets at Towncroft having won the toss and asked the visitors to take first knock.
Nelson made 283-3 with Usman Tariq unbeaten on 166 from 148 balls and Matt Pettinger making a patient 77 from 135.
However, Keelan Shipley struck an unbeaten 144 from 145 balls for the home side in reply, while pro James Price hit 109 from 115 as Middleton clinched victory in the 46th over.