BACUP professional Shaun Young guided his side to victory and the Transco Lancashire League title at Ramsbottom with a great all-round performance.

The Aussie was in commanding form as Bacup confirmed what has looked on the cards all summer - a Bacup hat-trick.

It was a characteristic Bacup victory - wrapped up by 6pm - with their opponents having been bowled out cheaply.

As usual Young, 4-38 and David Ormerod, 4-43, did the damage with the ball as Ramsbottom were dismissed for just 93.

Bacup went into their reply knowing that victory would give them the title as news that Enfield had failed to bowl out Accrington filtered back to Acre Bottom.

They lost opener Dominic Ayres without scoring but then Young and Peter Thompson decided to make certain.

They batted resolutely and carefully towards their victory target but as it came in sight Young cut loose and fittingly hit the winning runs with a boundary that also brought up his half century.

At the end Bacup skipper Neal Wilkinson paid tribute to Enfield who have been his side's main challengers all summer.

"They've made us fight all the way and we've never been able to relax because they've kept the pressure on us," he said.

Enfield's brave challenge fizzled out with a defeat at home to Accrington. Opener Mos Ahmed made 43 for Accrington who made 135-8 from their 50 overs.

In reply, Enfield professional Martin Van Jaarsveld struck 47 and Liam Jackson 23 but the home side kept losing wickets as they edged towards their target.

They had nine down when they needed just four to tie the scores but Steve Juliff collected his sixth victim to give Accrington victory.

Mick Blomley produced the best amateur bowling figures for a Haslingden player against rivals Rawtenstall with his magnificent haul of 8-49 at Bacup Road. In fact, Blomley's side dominated a one-sided contest. Graham Knowles set the tone, as the Haslingden opener hit 88. Knowles shared in big stands with both Paul Blackledge (37) and professional Ian Austin (79), Haslingden making 245-4 in their 50 overs.

Rawtenstall started their reply brightly with professional Andrew Hall (32) and skipper Andrew Payne (42) giving them a decent platform but then Blomley took command.

Once the openers departed there was only going to be one winner. Only one other Rawtenstall batsman made it into double figures as the home side were bowled out for just 136.

Church look to be heading for a bottom-two finish after their hammering at the hands of Rishton, for whom stand-in professional Keith Semple hit a sparkling century.

The home side were crushed by 143 runs as leg-spinner Peter Sleep claimed 7-26, only opener Alec Holt offering any resistance as he carried his bat to finish unbeaten on 54.

Semple and skipper Sleep (47) earlier put on 134 for the second wicket as Rishton piled up 244-5.

Semple hit 101 off 117 balls with 12 fours and two sixes and an unbeaten 44 from Andy Bartley gave Church no respite.

Only Holt and skipper Philip Sykes made double-figures for the home side in an opening stand of 22 before former Australian Test spinner Sleep worked his magic to finish with 7-26 off 18.5 overs.

Hope springs a surprise

JEZ Hope sparked a dramatic batting collapse by Burnley as Lowerhouse won a thrilling derby at Turf Moor by just six runs.

Chasing the visitors' 166 all out, Burnley were going well at 77-1 when Ben Law holed out on the boundary for a rapid 47 made off just 44 balls with six fours and two sixes.

Hope then removed the middle order on his way to figures of 5-71, and with Chris Bleazard getting the crucial wicket of David Brown the hosts slumped to 133-9.

Brown was eighth man out for 58 with five fours and a six, his half-century coming off 60 deliveries.

Overs weren't an issue as David Connolly and Steven Holden looked to pull of an unlikely win but, after they had added 27 to get within seven runs of victory, Holden edged one to slip to end the tailenders' resistance.

Brown had earlier picked up four wickets and substitute professional Mike Smethurst three, but 57 in the middle order from David Whalley gave Lowerhouse the substance to put just enough runs on the board. Whalley's 50 came off 80 balls with six fours and a six.

Colne climbed above Nelson with a four-wicket win over their local rivals at the Horsfield.

Professional Joe Scuderi hit his customary half-century in Nelson's 156 all out, in which Colne professional Adnan Malik claimed 4-42.

Scuderi faced 86 balls and hit three fours before falling to Gary Hunt with the score on 128.

Colne lost early wickets in reply but opener Jeff Ellis steadied the ship as he hit 72 off 117 balls with seven fours and four sixes, sharing a 74-run fifth-wicket stand with skipper Gary Laycock.

Laycock then saw his side home with one over to spare as he ended unbeaten on 49 made from 74 balls with three fours and a six.