Lancashire League Round-up

The Lancashire Evening Telegraph

6 July 1998


Saturday, 4 Jul 1998

PAUL Turner smashed his best ever score for East Lancs to set up victory over Rawtenstall - and his dad then joined him in the field as a substitute fielder 17 years after his last first team appearance at the Meadows.

Turner junior put together a stylish 43 as he and professional Brad Young (46) shared an important partnership of 56 for the fifth wicket as East Lancs posted 158.

Rawtenstall stuck to their task with Richard Glover enjoying a 5-66 return from a lengthy stint.

And when wicketkeeper Jan Van Boeckel got injured soon into the visitors reply his dad Chris then stepped in as a substitute fielder for his first appearance since 1981.

The dismissal of professional Keith Arthurton by Phil Mooney, however, was probably the crucial point in the Rawtenstall reply and, at 18-3 after 21 overs, it was soon a case of whether East Lancs could winkle them out to claim victory.

With Young bowling a miserly spell of 22 overs for just 21 runs, and taking five wickets into the bargain, they managed it. Rawtenstall made something of a recovery to 105-6 but then collapsed to 110 all out.

Haslingden beat Lowerhouse with some comfort at Bentgate, professional Hamish Anthony enjoying a good day with both bat and ball.

Lowerhouse's paid man Matthew Mott also shone as an all-rounder but with little reward in terms of points.

Anthony (5-46) and Mick Tracey (4-47) chipped away at the Lowerhouse innings with Mott (46) top scorer in an all-out total of 161. There were a couple of early shocks for Haslingden, Mott (5-51) dismissing both openers, but Stuart Taylor (39) and Anthony (63) set up what eventually proved to be a comfortable four-wicket victory with eight overs to spare.

Vasbert Drakes (5-48) and Duncan Parker (5-41) set up a comfortable win for Todmorden at Accrington, dismissing the home side for a modest 105.

Once professional Ryan Campbell had fallen to his counterpart for 19, Accrington were always struggling to make a big score.

They hit back with Campbell taking a couple of early wickets but Richard Baigent's 37 steadied the ship and he shared an important partnership with Drakes as they cruised towards their target. Ramsbottom collected maximum points after a tense penultimate over victory against Burnley at Turf Moor.

A second wicket stand of 70 between Micheal Brown (41) and professional Anthony Botha (40) was the foundation of the Burnley innings.

Some middle order hitting from Ian Whitehead (40) and Ben Law (26) pushed the home side up to 165-7 at the end of their 55 overs.

But Gary Dyson (55) and Ian Harvey (40) lead the Ramsbottom charge with a vital 75 run stand for the second wicket.

Strong support from Brian Taylor (27) ensured the visitors reached their target with one over and three wickets to spare despite Botha taking 4-60.

Mark Aspin's magnificent 113 was the highlight of Church's draw with Colne - although visiting professional Joe Scuderi didn't fare too badly with 80 and 2-23.

Aspin shared in a stand of 164 for the third wicket with Church pro Neil McGarrell, the amatuer's sparkling kock including 15 fours and three sixes. Scuderi escaped punishment as Church reaped 190-5, Colne eventually falling 14 runs short of their victory target with a couple of wickets in hand. Scuderi;s knock included 30 in sixes.

Roger Harper's all-round brilliance saw to it that title-challenging Enfield were put in their place.

The West Indian turned in another match-winning performance as the visitots were skittled for a meagre 70.

And Harper followed up his six wicket haul with an undefeated 40 as Nelson cruised to a 12-point victory.

Enfield were never in the contest, Harper's 6-26 coming off more than 22 overs of tight and penetrative spin.

Sunday, 5 Jul 1998

HASLINGDEN recovered from a terrible start to rout Rishton and break a club record, thanks to a batting blitz by professional Hamish Anthony.

At 27-4, scored at less than two runs an over, Haslingden looked in big trouble.

But Anthony had the answer, slamming a sensational 120 from just 92 balls. His innings included five sixes and 15 fours as he took the Rishton attack apart.

Along with Charlie Lord (39), Anthony put on 135 for the fifth wicket, a Haslingden record, and it helped them to declare at 205-8.

That was far too many for Rishton as they slumped to 58-6. A rain interruption aided their hopes of a draw but they couldn't help themselves, throwing wickets away in cavalier fashion.

The last pair put on an admirable 37 but, needing simply to stay there for a draw, the stand was broken with an easy catch from an attempt to go for an unnecessary big hit.

There was some remarkable scoring at Rawtenstall, with Accrington professional Ryan Campbell leading his team to victory with a wonderful innings of 157 not out - his first century in the Lancashire League.

Accrington had been set a good target by the home side after Keith Arthurton (86) and Peter Hanson (80) had shared an opening stand of 175 in their total of 202-5 declared.

Arthurton hit 11 boundaries and Hanson nine in his first senior half century. When Steve Birtwistle went off injured, former Accrington player Graham Beech went on as sub and took two catches - including a brilliant effort to dismiss Arthurton. Despite the rain reducing their batting time, Accrington romped home with Campbell and Stefan Heins (26) putting on 122 for the first wicket.

The pro reached 50 in 27 balls, a ton in 73 and faced only 98 deliveries in all. His superlative innings included eight sixes and 17 fours.

Duncan Spencer and Chris Walton put on Nelson's first century opening stand in four years to steer the Seedhill club to their second win of the weekend. Chasing Lowerhouse's 136, Spencer (61no) and Walton (48) were in fine form with the bat posting 102 for the first wicket to set up a comfortable nine-wicket win.

Earlier in the day professional Roger Harper (4-63) and Danny Kegg (3-29) bowled superbly to skittle the home side for 136.

The situation would have been even more desperate for Lowerhouse but for Mark Whelan's 47 and some late order heroics from Ryan Hesketh (25).

East Lancs also claimed their second win of the weekend thanks to the bowling efforts of Phil Mooney at Ramsbottom.

Mooney picked up 5-27 as the home side were dismissed for 131 despite a typically gutsy half century from professional Ian Harvey who smashed seven 7 fours in his 64.

Opener Andy Clague (44) and professional Brad Young (61) then made light work of the East Lancs reply as they put on 93 for the second wicket to seal an eight wicket win. Burnley rattled up a massive score against Colne at the Horsfield but it wasn't enough to claim maximum points as the game ended in a stalemate.

A stylish half century from teenage opener Michael Brown (54) enabled Burnley skipper Andy Mcleod to declare an over early on 202-8.

But professional Joe Scuderi was in his most fluent form as the home side mounted their run chase.

The South Australian hammered 10 fours and 4 sixes in a run-a-ball 92 not out but Colne could only muster 154-6, as Burnley's Anthony Botha picked up 3-60 and the game ended in a draw.

Todmorden and Bacup fought out a real nailbiter at Centre Vale.

Brad White's 121-ball 70 had been instrumental in setting the home side 167 for victory after John Barker had helped himself to 4-31.

An opening stand of 52 between Stewart Priestley (50) and Brian Heywood (14) got the home side off to a great start in their run chase.

But David Ormerod (3-57) and Andrew Pooler (3-57) struck back as wickets began to tumble and Todmorden's last pair held on to claim the extra batting bonus points as they finished on 15 short on 152-9 at the close.


Source: The Lancashire Evening Telegraph

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Date-stamped : 07 Oct1998 - 04:31