THE rainbow that straddled the Stanley Park ground while rain was pouring down and a watery sun shone from the sky was no use whatsoever to St Annes on Saturday.

Needing to win their final Division One game against Blackpool to ensure taking the Vaux Northern League title, they could only sit and watch as torrential rain brought a premature end to their hopes.

They had been put in to bat, made a defendable 164-6 from their 50 overs and then had Blackpool on the ropes at 20-2 after 10 overs when the rains came.

At this point they still had a chance of lifting the title for Darwen, two points behind them, were also rained off playing Netherfield.

However, by the time the rainbow appeared after the Stanley Park game had been abandoned Darwen were back playing and on course for a win which would give them the title.

At Stanley Park St Annes got off to a bad start courtesy of Blackpool's Marcus Sharp and Rudra Singh.

The pace duo who have taken 102 League wickets between them this season saw off Darlington, nought, caused at point by Crane off Singh, Kellett, two, superbly caught at slip by Bracewell off Sharp and Twist, two, caught at third slip by Cornall off Sharp.

That left St Annes struggling at 17-3 and it could have been far worse if Bracewell had held on to a routine slip catch from Callaghan off Singh when the South African had made only four. The miss cost Blackpool 40 more runs to the batsman and with skipper Russ Bradley he added 59 in 66 minutes for the fourth wicket.

The partnership was broken at 76 when Callaghan lofted David Cresswell gently to Crane at mid-off, the catch nearly being missed as the ball travelled so slowly to the fieldsman.

In came Adam Cotton and gave the St Annes innings just the momentum it needed as he struck 48 from only 57 balls with one superbly pulled six off Singh and three fours.

He was out with the total on 141 after 65 had been added in 48 minutes, this time Cornall took the catch at long on off Sharp whose 3-34 from 16 overs included a start which saw him with figures of 7-6-5-2. Sean Bickerdike came in and scored 13 quickly before Singh had him caught behind by Kevin Hoggarth and at the close Bradley, who much against his nature had played the anchor role, was 40 not out from 104 balls with two fours.

The total of 164-6 was going to be by no means easy to achieve as the greenish pitch gave plenty of help to the bowlers.

And when Blackpool batted, Callaghan made the most of the conditions. He had Chris Cornall caught by Kellett at gully for nought when attempting a pull and then had an unfortunate Martin Pickles leg before wicket for one.

Blackpool at 14-2 had much to do to prevent a St Annes win.

Robin Bracewell belligerently struck a couple of boundaries and was 17 not out from the total of 20-2 when the rain came and prevented any further play.

Meanwhile, Darwen had forged ahead against Netherfield and by the time the rain had stopped there was no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow for St Annes; news came through that Darwen had won and therefore took the title.

But for the rain, who knows?

As far as St Annes were concerned, jupiter pluvius had the final word on an enthralling 1999 season.

And as for Blackpool, they had to settle for a disappointing seventh place which meant no appearance in the Lancashire Cup next season.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.