Lancashire League Round-up

The Lancashire Evening Telegraph

14 September 1998


Todmorden finished the season on a high with an eight-wicket win over Burnley and are already looking ahead to next summer by recruiting Queensland all-rounder Brendan Nash as their professional.

A left-handed batsman and left-arm pace bowler, Nash has spent the summer playing for Pembrokeshire where he has scored over 1,200 runs.

Yesterday Stuart Parker took 4-23 and substitute professional Jonathan Harvey 3-39 as Todmorden dismissed Burnley for just 83.

And with skipper Richard Baigent continuing his strong finish to the season the home side romped to their target in just 29 overs.

Baigent followed up his century from the previous week with 53 and Brian Heywood, promoted up the order, finished unbeaten on 22 to see the job through.

Accrington were confirmed as wooden spoon holders when they were crushed by 104-runs by runners-up East Lancashire.

The basement club capitulated to 48 all out in reply to the visitors 152-9 declared.

Nas Iqbal took 5-22 and professional Paul Ridgway 3-7 from eight overs as only two Accrington players reached double figures.

Phil Mooney also picked up two wickets as he and Ian Haworth retired from first-team cricket on a winning note.

Earlier Zahir Afzaal took four wickets but 79 from 104 balls with nine fours from opener Andy Clague gave East Lancs more than enough runs to play with.

An amazing spell by Keith Roscoe just failed to give Rawtenstall victory against Lowerhouse in a nailbiting climax at Liverpool Road.

Last wicket pair Andy Chippendale and Danny Cuprinski batted out the last six overs after Roscoe's 6-7 had destroyed the Lowerhouse middle order as they held on at 60-9.

Earlier in the day, a typically stylish 61 from West Indian run machine Keith Arthurton helped the visitors to 148 all out.

Stand-in professional Chris Brown did the damage with the balling taking 4-52. Professional Neil McGarrell starred as Church had Haslingden on the wrack at Bent Gate.

The West Indian dominated a stand of 153 for the fifth wicket with Andy Aspin (48) on his way to 103 not out as the visitors recovered from 19-4 to set 176-5 declared.

Haslingden got off to a flyer as they mounted their reply with opening pair Jack Simpson (10) and Patrick Lord (23) putting on 33 inside four overs.

But McGarrell (4-9) and Maboob Hussain (3-28) struck back as the home side slipped to 44-7 but they managed to hold on till the close, finishing up 67-7.

Substitute professional Mike Watkinson saw Enfield to victory at Rishton in a spectacular finish.

Enfield needed 11 to win from Corrie Jordaan's last over and Watkinson blasted two sixes to end all the arguments at 179-6.

The Lancashire man finished unbeaten on 62, while the Barker brothers, Andy (52) and Gary (41) gave him excellent support.

Earlier, Rishton had posted a decent score of 177-9 before declaring. Opener Jimmy Bibby hit 30 and John Davies brightened up the home team's effort with a quickfire 44.

Colne managed to bat time out for a tame draw at Bacup after being reduced to 40-7.

Bacup needed all their 55 overs to reach a respectable 145-9 against some tight bowling, Gary Hunt turning in an excellent performance to finish with 5-22.

Colne's reply ran into big trouble when they lost professional Joe Scuderi - the second man to go at 28 - and they collapsed badly.

They could only opt for the draw and managed to hold out.


Source: The Lancashire Evening Telegraph

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Date-stamped : 07 Oct1998 - 04:31