IT'S hard to believe that Musbury Fabrics Lancashire League legend Joe Scuderi has anything left to learn on the cricket field.

Runs, records and trophies have consistently come Scuderi's way since he arrived in the league with Nelson in 1991.

But the South Australian turned Lancastrian admits that this season is whole a new ball-game as he comes to terms with life in the amateur ranks.

"I had been a professional cricketer since I was 18, and 17 years later I'm not doing it any more. It's been a big change in my life," said Scuderi, who stepped down from his paid-man duties after qualifying to play as an English resident over the winter.

And the former Lancashire all-rounder - in his 10th season at Seedhill either side of a successful two-year stint at Colne - confesses that the transition has not been a smooth one.

He added: "I have found it quite difficult just to get to that same level of intensity as when I was the professional.

"I am still out there wanting to do well, but if I'm being totally honest I'm not as hungry. They are the personal demons I have got to try and overcome.

"There has also been a change financially. Now I have other things in my life to worry about as well. I can't just think about going out to play cricket.

"It's something I've got to adapt to."

The Nelson team has also had to do some learning this summer as they get over the loss of 'Joe the Pro'.

Widely touted as title favourites at the start of the summer, Mick Bradley's men have had to scrap to stay on the coat-tails of leaders Bacup.

"One of the traps we fell into at the start of the season was that because I was playing as an amateur and Cammy (Cameron Cuffy) was here as a bowling pro other players relaxed," said Scuderi.

"My form was not the greatest and I struggled a bit for runs. People have to realise not to rely on myself and Paul Garaghty to get the runs and everyone has to play their role and contribute."

And that message appears to be getting across as the in-form Paul Beech struck a magnificent half-century to follow up another quality effort from Scuderi as Nelson chalked up a potentially vital eight-wicket win over Enfield on Saturday.

While rain was thwarting title rivals Bacup and Church and Haslingden were losing to Lowerhouse, Nelson pocketed 10 points thanks to a perfectly staged run-chase.

Enfield's total of 192-4 from just 34 overs, built around half-centuries from professional Alviro Petersen and rising star Keith Barker, looked a formidable one.

But with Scuderi setting the tone with a near run-a-ball 50 and Beech then launching a ferocious assault on a limited Enfield attack, the home side got home with 11 balls to spare.

Enfield's struggle to field their best side on a Saturday dogged them again but in Petersen they boast one of the league's most consistent professionals and the prolific South African delivered the goods again as he want past 500 league runs for the season.

Petersen reached another 50 in 61 balls and faced 84 in total as he stroked 14 fours and a six before perishing to a rare late slog.

He shared a 122-run stand with Barker, who will be badly missed by Enfield when he resumes pre-season training with the Blackburn Rovers Academy at the start of July.

The 17-year-old survived a caught and bowled chance to Cuffy before he had scored but then went elegantly about his business to finish with an undefeated 66 off 75 deliveries with six fours and three sixes.

Barker's age also means he is restricted to bowling in seven-over bursts and that didn't help the visitors' cause, even though it was fellow left-armer Kamran Kahn who picked up the two wickets to fall, his first in senior cricket.

Chris Heap holed out to deep mid-off in Kahn's first over after putting on 59 with Scuderi and Scuderi then fell in similar fashion, although Mitch Taylor's catch was this time at deep mid-on, with the score on 95 in the 18th over.

There could be no questioning Scuderi's appetite, application or class as he drove and pulled wonderfully to find the boundary 10 times, but even his departure did little to slow the tempo.

Beech hammered Petersen for two big straight sixes in the 22nd over and although the target was 58 off the final 10 overs, Nelson cantered in as Beech raced to 63 off just 52 balls with three sixes and ten fours.

Garaghty, unbeaten on 38 off 45 balls with three fours, provided the perfect foil at the other end, as Nelson moved up to second place and closed the gap on Bacup to 13 points.