RAWTENSTALL skipper Keith Roscoe led by example with a remarkable seven-wicket haul to end Haslingden's fading EW Cartons Lancashire League title hopes.

Roscoe, who recently chalked up his 700th wicket in the league and took five wickets the previous day, returned figures of 7-4 from 10.1 overs as Haslingden collapsed for the second day running to slump to 61 all out.

Chasing Rawtenstall's 131 all out, in which Peter Seal top-scored with 48 after being promoted to the top of the order, Haslingden crashed from 36-3 as Roscoe weaved his magic to claim the last seven wickets and give his side their second win in two days and lift them off the bottom of the table.

East Lancs underlined their class at Centre Vale with a convincing victory over Todmorden, the only thing missing being the two bowling bonus points.

The game was a good as over at the tea interval after East Lancs had rattled up 251-4. Phil Bolton (56) anchored the innings and skipper Phil Mercer hit his highest score of 81, including six fours and two sixes.

Professional Claude Henderson weighed in with an unbeaten 55 from just 44 balls, inclduing five fours and two sixes, and Paul Turner rounded off the innings in style.

From only 30 deliveries, Turner hammered 41 runs and East Lancs collected 65 from the last five overs!

Once Henderson had claimed the wickets of professional Brendan Nash and skipper Richard Baigent it was only a question of whether they would get the bonus points.

Brian Heywood, in particular, provided stubborn resistance and they couldn't quite make it. Church claimed a comfortable win at Rishton, whose headlong slide continued in alarming fashion.

The home team promised a decent score after the openers put on more than 50 but the brakes were applied and Church professional Neil McGarrell wrapped up the second half of the innings in remarkable fashion.

He picked up five victims in 11 balls - all clean bowled - to leave Rishton all out for 135 and the pro with figures of 6-48.

At 25-3, Church's reply was in trouble but skipper Mark Aspin (52) and former Rishton player Phil Sykes (42 not out) enjoyed a fourth-wicket stand of 93 to steer them into a winning position.

Roger Harper and Paul Garraghty picked up where they left off on Saturday with another match-winning stand for title hopefuls Nelson.

Twenty-four hours after putting on an unbeaten 124, they pieced together a 111-run partnership to set up a six-wicket win over local rivals Colne.

Garraghty finally fell for 40 with seven needed for victory but Harper was there to see the job through, his perfectly paced 83 containing one six and 11 fours.

Nelson were denied maximum points, however, as Colne lost their ninth wicket off the final ball of their innings to finish with 156-9.

Professional Joe Scuderi held the Colne innings together and gave the bowlers something to defend with an unbeaten 86 in just under three hours with seven boundaries. Martin Van Jaarsveld broke Lowerhouse's club record run tally for a season in his match-winning performance against local rivals Burnley.

Needing 23 to pass Kirti Azad's 1,069 set in 1984, the South African run-maker hit 67 with 10 fours and a six before falling to a brilliant catch behind the stumps by Andy McLeod.

An unbroken ninth-wicket stand of 25 between John Procter and Jez Hope then pushed the game just beyond Burnley, who were left needing 166 to win despite another five-wicket haul from 17-year-old James Anderson who has now taken 31 wickets for the season.

They were given a solid start but were always behind the clock and when McLeod went at 97-4 with just 12 overs to go the game was up.

And Van Jaarsveld guaranteed maximum points for his side with figures of 6-39.

Accrington picked up a very good win over Enfield with an all-round team effort in a game which saw professional Mark Bailey pass 1,000 runs for the season.

Bailey also did well with the ball and in the field as Enfield posted 155-9. He took a great catch to dismiss Enfield pro Dave Saker and brilliantly ran out Sam Reidy to go with his 3-35. Tariq Hussain (3-27) took the honours by dismissing the cream of the Enfield amateur batting.

Liam Jackson finished unbeaten on 55 for Enfield, facing 90 balls and hitting half a dozen boundaries.

The crucial stand in Accrington's reply, after Bailey had gone for 38, was the 55 put on for the fifth wicket by Mas Ahmed (40 not out) and Mus Ahmed (18). Mas stayed around to see Accrington home. An opening partnership of 93 put Bacup on course for a comfortable win over Ramsbottom after they had dismissed the visitors for 111.

David Ormerod was their bowling hero, taking a superb 6-13 after professional Brad White (3-25) had struck some important early blows.

Mark Price (37) was the mainstay of a disappointing batting performance by Ramsbottom.

White was then top scorer for Bacup with 48 as they cruised to a six-wicket win despite three wickets for Garfield Moreton.

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