ACCRINGTON are today enjoying the rare experience of looking down from the top of the Lancashire League table after beating the weather and Colne at Thorneyholme Road yesterday.

Perennial strugglers in recent seasons, Matt Wilson's side stole a march on their rivals as they won the only game to avoid a wash-out by five wickets thanks to an impressive opening day performance from professional Tama Canning.

Canning marked the start of his third spell at the club with an undefeated 73 to lead Accrington past Colne's total of 135-9, which included a half-century from paid man Mark Cleary, with five overs to spare in a game reduced to 41 overs a side.

"We were very keen to play and it was nice to get through with an early win under our belts," said the New Zealand one-day international.

"It was a good start for the guys, who have had to battle for a few years.

"We played some good cricket. We bowled quite well, although their pro played very well, and tied them down at the end and 130 wasn't going to be enough.

"It wasn't an easy wicket to bat on but we didn't take any chances and I knew if we had wickets in hand we would win. It was just a case of waiting for the bad ball and not doing anything silly."

Canning was certainly severe on anything loose as he hammered five sixes in his 97-ball stay, most of which were pulled square or over mid-wicket whenever spinners Quasim Ali or Gary Hunt dropped short.

Cleary bowled unchanged from one end for Colne but on a wet run-up and damp pitch was never able to bowl at anything like his full pace as Accrington's batsmen were happy to take what they could from him, and then cash in at the other end.

Canning and Adam Wilson added 38 for the second-wicket to take the score to 52 before Wilson was controversially given out by the square-leg umpire when Cleary had touched a Canning drive onto the stumps at the non-striker's end.

Thankfully for the home side that decision did not prove crucial as Canning, who rarely looked troubled, went past 50 in 68 deliveries with a big six off Hunt which also brought up the century.

Sixteen-year-old Stuart Crabtree played his part in a 49-run stand for the fifth-wicket, which took Accrington to the brink of a victory which would not have been so straight-forward had Colne not faltered right at their end of their innings.

Cleary's 63 was the mainstay of the visitors' contribution, as the South Australian hit eights fours and a six in a 73-ball stay, surviving one chance on 47 when he drove Canning to Damian Clarke at extra-cover.

Cleary accelerated nicely before becoming one of two wickets to fall in the 39th over as the score reached 132-6, and Colne were then able to add just three more as they suffered two run-outs and just avoided a third in the final over from Canning.

The professional finished with three wickets, one an excellent caught and bowled from Colne skipper Steve Woods, and is delighted to be back at Accrington after recovering from a shoulder injury which blighted his domestic season with Auckland.

"I feel fresh and really motivated," he added. "It was fantastic to come back and see some old faces and hopefully we can move up the table a little bit.

"They are a good bunch of players who are a little bit older and more experienced than last time I was here.

"I just want to see them improve every week, and hopefully we can battle with a few teams."

Accrington's result stands, but the rest of a washed out programme will be replayed on Saturday. May 22.

SCOREBOARD

Accrington 136-5

Colne 135-9

Accrington 10 pts, Colne 1pt

COLNE

G Hunt c Ahmed b Afzal...18

Q Ali c and b Hayhurst...15

Cleary b Canning...63

P Wilson b Canning...11

M Wilson st Barnes b Clarke...0

S Woods c and b Canning...14

D Swarbrick c Burrows b Hayhurst...1

D Spokes run out...1

C Willan not out...1

M Constable run out...0

G Ormerod not out...0

Extras...11

Total (9 wickets)...135

Bowling: Canning 14-3-38-3; J Hayhurst 12-3-32-2; Z Afzal 7-1-33-1; D Clarke 8-0-31-1.

ACCRINGTON

M Ahmed b Cleary...3

A Wilson run out...24

Canning not out...73

M Wilson b Ali...0

R Burrows c Swarbrick b Cleary...9

S Crabtree st Swarbrick b Ali...8

J Hayhurst not out...2

Extras...17

Total (5 wickets)...136

Bowling: Cleary 18-2-49-2; Q Ali 14.5-3-59-2; G Hunt 3-0-14-0.