IT was dirty business at Nelson for Bacup yesterday -- but they have shown both their opponents a clean pair of heels this weekend to put them in pole position to reclaim the Transco Lancashire League title.

Persistent drizzle meant diving in the outfield at Seedhill was a mucky affair -- as Bacup fielder Andy Spencer may find when he comes to try and wash his whites!

But it will be least of their worries as a 106-run victory over main title rivals East Lancs on Saturday was followed by what was in the end a fairly comfortable victory over Nelson to increase their lead at the top of the table -- although there were a few nerves jangling yesterday.

In this reduced 32-over game, once more Bacup pro Shaun Young came up with the goods following his 109 hit on Saturday -- and the Lanehead side can't believe they have unearthed another gem.

Last season, Adam Dale led them to their first league title in 40 years, and Australian Young will have a big say if Bacup reclaim it -- and do the double as they are through to the final of the Worsley Cup.

"Adam was a fine bowler who scored more than 500 runs but in Shaun we have a true all-rounder. He is good with the bat and the bowl," said Bacup skipper Neal Wilkinson.

"We always knew he would be a quality professional but we also knew we had to improve our amateur batsmen this season.

"I think winning the league last time gave the youngsters at Bacup more confidence and I think having a batting pro like Shaun has also made a difference especially to the likes of Matt O'Connor, Dominic Ayres and Peter

Thompson is proving as reliable as ever.

"But saying that while we are enjoying it at the moment, we haven't won anything yet. We are taking nothing for granted. We could lose in the Worsley Cup final and miss out on the title and then we would be left with nothing.

"There is such a long way to go."

Bacup's victory over East Lancs on Saturday meant the Lanehead side took over from the Blackburn team at the top of the table and the skipper admitted it was a huge victory.

"It was a very big win. I think East Lancs will feel deflated especially as they built up the game and then we beat them so convincingly.

"But they will be back and the likes of Todmorden, Rawtenstall and Rishton will still be up there trying to have their say."

While some of the top teams struggled with the weather, Bacup were lucky -- both their games beating the rain so they could seal their double win.

"We really wanted to get this game on at Nelson as we knew some were called off," admitted the captain.

"It was a chance to steal a march on one or two of the other title favourites as you never know, we could miss out with the weather later in the season."

Nelson have been struggling this season and knew that whatever happened, they couldn't do any worse than last time they played the Lanehead side when they were bowled out for just 22.

This time it was better with Danny Kegg making a crucial unbeaten 28 near the end which helped to push Nelson's target along to 120.

But the early wickets did tumble again as Bacup's Young got into his stride to add to the five wickets he took yesterday.

He got another five -- including the wicket of South African Wade Wingfield who was given lbw for a duck.

At 120-8 Bacup must have felt they could rattle the runs off with ease but Peter Thompson fell cheaply (one) and Dominic Ayres (10) so the pro once more had to soak up the pressure.

He did it comfortably hitting the ball around the ground, making a valuable 62, which included four fours and three sixes before he was caught at the boundary by Khurran Nazir off the bowling of Kegg.

Wingfield did his bit with the ball as he dismissed Matt O'Connor (30) to break off the strong partnership and then things started to get shakey for the champions as Andy Spencer (zero) and Terry Lord (two) fell next.

It got even worse when the scoreboard showed Bacup had lost seven wickets -- in fact it was only five -- but it was enough to unnerve several of the crowd.

In came John Chapman and David Thompson with the score on 111 -- needing ten to win -- and with ten overs to spare it looked easy.

But it turned into hard work with Wilkinson and co having a few nervy moments on the balcony as the score took ages to change with the overs slipping to seven left.

Wingfield and Kegg kept it tight until eventually Chapman hit a four to relieve some of the pressure.

And then the pair grabbed quick singles to eventually surpass Nelson's score with four wickets and six overs to spare -- and keep the champions in charge.