ACCRINGTON won the final of the Hyndburn Mayoral Challenge Six-A-Side competition by defeating Attock, winner of the preliminary competition, by five wickets at Thorneyholme Road on Bank Holiday Monday.

The late withdrawal of Baxenden meant that both finalist of the preliminary competition entered the final stages. The Griffin's Head faced Accrington in the first semi-final and were defeated by three wickets. Dave Parsons continued to enjoy the tournament, scoring 33 not out and taking 1-14 against his former club.

Len Dewhurst was Accrington's best bowler, his two overs yielded a return of 2-14 as the Griffin were restricted to 75-3. Captain Mas Ahmed (28 not out) and Matt Wilson (24) top scored for the hosts.

In the second semi-final, Attock repeated Zorba's giant killing act of last year by knocking out the holders Great Harwood by six runs. Attock's score of 107-3 didn't seem enough as the holders hit 41 runs off the first three overs, but after Daniel Cheesbrough was dismissed for 47 they slowed considerably until 17 were needed off the last overs.

Mohammed Sajad's two overs cost only 10 runs for the valuable wicket of Cheesbrough. Attock began the final well. Openers Abrar Shah and Liquat Khan completed his fifth half century at Thorneyholme Road, hitting five sixes and four boundaries in his 57.

The innings closed on 124-2, captain Khyber Shah finishing unbeaten on 28 and Wayne Roberts taking 1-36 for Accrington. Wayne's world collapsed shortly after when he was dismissed for a duck in Mohammed Sajad's first over Matt Wilson and Mas Ahmed then battered the bowling. Wilson's 66 not out contained five sixes as did his skipper's knock of 53 not out. Liquat's two overs costing exactly 50 runs. After the final, the Mayor of Hyndburn, Coun Bernard Dawson was presented with a cheque for £80 which was collected during the competition for the Mayoral Charity.

Results - f=Zurich BT s=6 l=6.5RUN machine Keith Barker has smashed the Lancashire Schools under 12s batting record.

Barker, son of former Enfield player, Keith, hammered a brilliant unbeaten 125 against Holland in a cricket festival at Taunton.

And he then stepped up an age group to help the county win the tournament's under 13s section with vital contributions in their victories over Sussex and Somerset.

A pupil at Moorhead School, Accrington, Barker also scored half centuries against Cornwall and Sussex, as the under 12s finished runners up to Berkshire.

Then knocks of 68 against Sussex and 28 against Somerset in the under 13s earned him a late call-up to the North of England team.

The 12-year-old then blasted 51 against the Midlands.

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