NEW ZEALAND'S loss is proving to be Colne's gain as Andre Adams played another key role to shock Musbury Fabrics Lancashire League leaders Bacup at the Horsfield on Saturday.

Adams was in the frame for a place in the Kiwis' touring squad to England this summer until injury scuppered his hopes.

Yet he made the trip over after all when Colne snapped up the 28-year-old all-rounder as a replacement for Mark Cleary following his controversial switch to Leicestershire.

And Colne believe they may now have ended up with the better part of the bargain as Adams continues to entertain with bat and ball, in line with the rest of his countrymen making their welcome mark across the league this summer.

The Aucklander was unable to match the fireworks of his previous effort against Church, when he smashed a half-century and claimed eight wickets, but did set Colne on their way to an exciting 16-run win over Bacup by claiming two wickets in his opening over to undermine the visitors' run-chase.

Going after Colne's impressive 43-over total of 197-4 - in which Matthew Wilson hit a thrilling 37-ball half-century - Bacup were rocked back by Adams' opening burst in which he trapped professional Chris Simpson in front with one that kept low and then bowled Tim Farragher first-ball to set up a possible second hat-trick in successive games.

"It did go through my mind," Adams admitted. "It's not so easy when you have to go for it with the first ball of your second over when you're still a bit stiff. I did manage to get the yorker right in there, but he kept it out well."

A strong shoulder action allows Adams to generate plenty of pace off a shortish run and his combination of deliveries right in the block-hole and just short of a length made him virtually unplayable early on.

Bacup didn't look to have a price of even getting close to their target but Peter Thompson and Paul Gallagher, who came in when Matthew O'Connor was leg before to off-spinner Quasim Ali to make it 34-3, bravely hung around to launch a fightback.

Having weathered the storm from Adams they added 114 for the fourth-wicket as they gradually took the initiative from the home side with some careful shot selection and intelligent running between the wickets.

Thompson, closing in on 10,000 league runs, used all his experience to lead the counter-attack, going past 50 in just under 100 balls when he cut the returning Adams through the finger tips of Matthew Clark to register his fifth boundary.

But Adams was to get his revenge and he struck the crucial blow when he got through Thompson's defence to bowl the opener for 62 in the 35th over.

Bacup had got their target down to manageable proportions but Thompson's departure heralded a dramatic collapse as they lost five wickets, including that of Gallagher for an impressive 73-ball half-century, for the addition of just 26 runs.

Ali, a close-season recruit from Lowerhouse, was rewarded for keeping his composure with a second five-wicket haul of the summer and his two wickets in the 40th-over, both to stumpings by David Swarbrick, effectively ended Bacup's chances as Colne secured a third straight win, to the delight of Adams.

"We should have won it, we should have lost it and then ended up winning it," he added.

"We are a team that really needs confidence to play well and that will help.

"We are a young side which lacks experience, apart from Gary Hunt, but it's a side that's willing to learn and the more you are involved in games like this, and you come out on top, then the more I can pass on while I'm here.

"I'm loving it here. They are a great bunch of guys and it makes my job easier when they are willing to learn. We just want to get better every week."

Colne could hardly improve on Saturday's batting as Wilson launched into a spectacular onslaught as he crashed two sixes and seven fours, putting on 61 for the first wicket with Ali inside the opening 12 overs, to put the hosts on the front foot.

Paul Wilson maintained the momentum with 39 off just 36 balls, including four fours and a six, and then Chris Willan and Hunt added a crucial 47 for the fifth wicket inside the last six overs. Willan accelerated nicely to finish unbeaten on 33, while Hunt's entertaining cameo saw the stalwart reach 22 off just 19 deliveries with three fours.