STAND-IN professional Pieter Strydom was the star for Worsley Cup winners Ramsbottom as they defeated Haslingden at Acre Bottom, writes PETE OLIVER.

South African Strydom, who has been plying his trade with Netherfield in the Northern Premier League this summer, replaced the Australian Michael Clarke who is on tour with the Australia A side in South Africa.

He hit a massive 115 and then went on to take three wickets.

Strydom came to the crease in the seventh over and lasted until the 47th, carefully edging his way to 100 before letting fly with a couple of massive sixes.

The teams were off the field for 90 minutes as the heavens opened at the tea interval so the Haslingden innings was reduced to 30 overs and their target set at 167.

They started off brightly, reaching 50-0 after nine overs. But after a change of bowlers, to Simon Read and Mark Price, the scoring slowed down and Haslingden finished 21 runs short of their target.

ACCRINGTON look destined for bottom spot as CHURCH raced to a four-wicket win with eight balls to spare at Thorneyholme Road.

Chasing a reduced target of 144 in 35 overs, the visitors were led to victory by Mark Aspin's half-century.

Aspin's 50 came off 47 balls with six fours and two sixes and following his departure, 20 from substitute professional Colin Miller and an unbeaten 25 by John Seedle saw Church home.

Before the rain, Accrington had looked to have put themselves in a useful position before the final 10 overs were lopped off their innings.

Professional Andre Seymour struck his sixth successive half-century and shared an opening stand of 96 with Stefan Heins before Heins was run out for 46.

Seymour completed his 50 off 73 balls and went on to reach 75 with 12 fours.

ENFIELD were unable to put any pressure on Bacup at the top of the table as a tea-time deluge at TODMORDEN led to the abandonment of their game.

Todmorden posted an imposing total of 254-9 with professional Clinton Peake (80) and Richard Baigent (84) putting on 159 for the third-wicket.