A RIBBLE Valley Cricket fanatic has broken the world record for the longest bowling run-up in history.

Salesbury Cricket Club’s Jason Rawson completed the run-up, at 1.6miles long, from the Shajan Indian restaurant, on the A59, up to the Ribchester Road ground, where the umpires and players had been in position for 20 minutes.

Before the run-up, Jason had already completed a 24.6mile marathon from Blackpool promenade to the Shajan restaurant in wet blustery weather.

The monumental effort was achieved in an impressive three-and-a-half hours, helping raise funds for the newly-promoted Ribblesdale Senior League club.

Ian Riley faced the record- breaking delivery, scrambling through for a leg-bye having survived a lung-busting LBW appeal at the start of an eventful over.

Riley went on to smash successive boundaries before Peter Blackman was caught out on the final ball of the over.

The 20/20 match was abandoned after just six balls due to persistent rain, but it didn’t dampen the spirits of the crowd who had gone to watch.

An exhausted Jason said: “I really didn’t think I was going to make it at one point because I’d hit a ‘wall’ after about the 18- mile mark. I couldn’t have done it without the support of the club and, particularly, my wife Liz.”