ONLY sterling efforts by the Ramsbottom groundstaff ensured Saturday's clash against Lowerhouse got underway at 3pm.

The overs were reduced to 37 a side and Nick Riley and Keith Webb wasted no time in setting about the visitors attack and raced to a 50 partnership inside nine overs.

With the score on 52 Riley was caught on the boundary and within the next five overs the Rams were reduced to 53 for 4. One of the wickets was that of professional Michael Clarke who failed to trouble the scorers.

The followed a period of consolidation but when Webb fell in the 24th over with the score on 82 for 6 the Acre Bottom outfit looked in serious trouble.

It took skipper Mark Price (31) and Simon Read (23), who put on an excellent 48 run partnership, to take Ramsbottom to a respectable score, both falling just before the end of the innings.

Further rain at the interval reduced Lowerhouse's target to 121 off 30 overs.

Mick Haslam struck an early blow for the Rams but the opposition's South African paid man Jacquest Rudolph and prolific amateur Chris Bleazard then took charge and looked to be leading their side to a comfortable victory.

With the score on 54 for 1 in the 15th over Price produced a ball that got a 'bit high' on Rudolph as he attempted to pull resulting in him smashing it straight into the safe hands of Daggett at deep mid on.

Both Price and Rammy professional Clarke then put a stranglehold on the opposition batting (with the exception of Bleazard) and wickets fell at regular intervals.

Nevertheless Lowerhouse were always in with a shout until Bleazard was brilliantly stumped by Hevingham for an excellent 47 and the Acre Bottom side were able to record their first victory of the season.

All Lancashire League fixtures were washed out on Sunday and will be replayed on Saturday, May 25.