THE Australians didn't have it all their own way yesterday.

While England were on the end of another Ashes hammering at Lord's, former Australian Test player Peter Sleep was less happy with developments at Haslingden where his Rishton side slumped to a seven-wicket defeat.

Sleep did his bit with a face-saving half-century after the visitors batted first.

But no-one else made over 13 as Michael Blomley wiped out Rishton's top order, including Queenslander Clinton Perren for one, on the way to figures of 5-39.

Chasing just 110 for victory, Andy Smith then blazed his way to a magnificent 67 not out to register his first half-century in the league.

Smith passed 50 with his ninth four and followed up that up with two further boundaries and a magnificent straight six off Perren to seal maximum points with 18 runs off four balls.

It was all too much for Sleep, who had spilled a sharp chance from Smith when he had made 42, who applauded the batsmen off and then held an immediate open-air inquest into Rishton's "worst defeat of the season" in the middle of the square.

"It was a disgraceful performance. It's the worst we've played this year. If we play like that we'll finish bottom of the table.

"We haven't been playing that well then we won in the cup on Saturday and I thought that might have been a turning point. But obviously not," he said.

While Rishton's title hopes have faded away in recent weeks, Haslingden have begun to recover from a woeful first half of the summer.

Yesterday's triumph, wrapped up inside 17 overs, was their fourth win in a row to lift them towards mid-table and Smith is clearly revelling in his new role as an opener.

His 50 took just 48 balls and there was barely time for his collection to be made before he had raced to 67 with his second six which cleared the first row of houses in the new development adjacent to Bentgate.

"I'm up there just to get on with it," he said. "It's taken me a while to get my first 50 because I've been playing for a few years, but opening gives you a better chance to do it.

"Hopefully I can follow that up, and I think it's the way people want to see the game played."

With such a small total to defend Rishton needed early wickets but Smith and Mark Griffin quickly took the game away from them by putting together an opening stand of 37 in just six overs.

Perren's spectacular introduction gave the visitors hope as he removed Griffin and Haslingden professional Ian Austin with his first two deliveries.

Smith wouldn't be curtailed, however, while Rishton didn't help their cause by bowling 10 no-balls.

"There are always a few doubts but I said to myself just carry on the way I was playing. There was no point in trying to change," Smith added.

"Generally the ball was coming on and it was my day. Everything fell into place. We beat them over there so we knew they would be out for revenge but we played well. Michael Blomley bowled really well, we took our catches and Oscar kept it tight the other end." Blomley's early blast had Rishton in dire trouble at 10-3 and they never really recovered despite Sleep's efforts and a 43-run ninth-wicket partnership with Jon Davies, which took the score from 63-8 to 106-9 when the latter departed.

Austin chipped in with three wickets and John Cairns mopped up the tail to suggest that Haslingden can at least look to end the season on a high note.

In only his third game at the top of the order, the tall right-hander put bat-to-ball from the off, playing well off his legs, pulling when allowed and looking to hit straight over the top whenever the chance presented itself.

We had been blocking a few back. Especially if you're up against a low score, like we were here and against Nelson last week, it helps if you can belt a few early doors.

"It's been a major disappointment. But we've said afterwards we're pushing for Europe. Hopefully we can have a good run and if we could get up to fifth or sixth that would be a good finish to take into next season. There's no reason why we can't," Smith insisted.