COLNE skipper Gary Laycock paid tribute to professional Joe Scuderi as the club prepared to go into another big double-header this weekend on the crest of an eight-match winning run.

For surprise package Colne these days, games do not come much bigger than tomorrow's home clash with East Lancs, the EW Cartons Lancashire League leaders and one of only three teams above them in the table.

And, of course, there is the matter of a Worsley Cup final showdown between the two clubs at Alexandra Meadows early next month.

But, thanks to Scuderi - and an extraordinary never-say-die team spirit at Colne - Laycock is starting to believe anything is possible.

"To be honest, it has been an amazing run," said the skipper.

"But Joe has been on fire and hopefully we can continue to support him with both bat and ball.

"We have been a bit down in the batting recently but he has pulled us through and the bowlers have done well.

"There's a tremendous team spirit at the club. Most of these lads played when we were down at the bottom so we are all enjoying things at the moment.

"We always had ability in the side and now they have got a bit more experience the team has gelled. It also helps, of course, if you have a decent pro.

"A lot of the credit must go to Joe. He has made a tremendous contribution. He weighed things up last season and he has fitted in really well. It seems as though he's been here for years. "You know what you are going to get from Joe and, at the moment, we are getting a bit more than we are due."

Tomorrow's home game against East Lancs might, at one stage, have seemed to be merely a rehearsal for the Worsley Cup final.

But Colne's surge towards the top has changed all that.

"I hope we can continue our run," said Laycock.

"The spirit in the side is very important, the lads just never seem to know when they are beaten.

"Most of us have played together since junior cricket and the way things have been going we can't wait for the games to come round.

"East Lancs is a big game for us and a very difficult game. But if we can beat the teams at the top who knows where we can finish in the league."

Having reached the cup final for the second successive year - they were beaten by East Lancs at The Horsfield last summer! - Colne have clearly taken a lot of confidence from this season's repeat run.

And their late victory over Haslingden last weekend typified the determination there has been in their performances.

"The cup competition suits us because our team is full of all-rounders and we have no problems finding five bowlers," he added. "The league rules are also better this time. We wanted to get back to a win or lose game." Colne look capable of providing a real challenge on two fronts and their progress has caught some teams napping - but not their skipper.

"I suppose it is a little bit surprising how well we have done but I am certainly not shocked," he said.

"Everyone in the team can do a job for us and Joe has been just tremendous."

Sunday's games: Bacup v Nelson, Church v Rawtenstall, Colne v East Lancs, Enfield v Burnley, Haslingden v Accrington, Lowerhouse v Ramsbottom, Rishton v Todmorden.

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