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Ribblesdale League: Kershaw looks for lift-off The Electronic Telegraph - 25 June 1999 Slow-starting Edenfield face fellow Jennings Ribblesdale League strugglers Blackburn Northern tomorrow with opening batsman John Kershaw hoping that the runs will continue to flow for him and his team. Kershaw ended his lean spell with an undefeated century last Saturday as Edenfield beat Barnoldswick in a high-scoring encounter to record only their second win of the summer. And he believes the key to success from now on lies with the team's batting line-up. ``Our bowling has been quite steady. We haven't bowled sides out but we have been containing them. ``Our problem is that we haven't made enough runs, as simple as that,'' said the former Bacup and Rawtenstall run-getter. ``Last year we had more of a batting pro and we also had Nigel Franklin. We've lost about 1,200 runs with those two and I had 700 which takes a lot of making up. ``We have had people getting thirties and forties but you need more than that to put big totals together.'' Kershaw's actual total last year was 738 league runs but last Saturday's 126 not out was the first time he had passed 50 this season. And while he hopes to stay in the groove at bottom-of-the-table Blackburn Northern, he's taking nothing for granted. ``The thing about batting is that only takes one ball to get you out, and it doesn't have to be a good ball. ``The last time I got a hundred was on a Saturday and the day after I was out next ball. It's a great leveller. ``I will remember that and get my head down and see what happens,'' he added. As well as under-achieving at the top of the order, Edenfield's progress has also been slowed by three no-result games and frequent Lancashire call-ups for professional Mike Smethurst. ``It doesn't help when you turn up on a Saturday and say 'who've we got today?'' Kershaw admitted. ``But in the last few weeks that has settled down a bit and now the World Cup's finished and Lancashire have had some injuries clearing up hopefully we will have our pro more weeks than not. ``He's probably the quickest bowler in the league but he needs the right conditions as well and now it might be getting a bit drier and a bit harder that should help.'' Tomorrow's fixtures: Barnoldswick v Whalley, Blackburn N v Edenfield, Cherry Tree v Ribblesdale Wanderers, Clitheroe v Baxenden, Earby v Oswaldtwistle, Great Harwood v Padiham, Settle v Read.
Source: The Lancashire Evening Telegraph |
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