LAST weekend I had my first experience of Lancashire League cricket, about which I had heard so much.

A friend took me recently to watch Church play Colne. Twenty wickets fell for 119 runs, of which Church made 55.

I assumed my friend would be disappointed at his side's poor showing, but to my great surprise he said this low score had been rewarded with five bonus points. I thought he was joking, but a spectator showed me the amazing rules printed in the official handbook.

How extraordinary that a side can gain five points for such a dismal performance, but another club could score 300 or more and receive none.

If I understand the rules correctly, two points maximum are available for bowling, and to gain these a side has to take 10 wickets. But a losing side can earn, if that's the right word, no fewer than five batting points for a handful of runs.

Who came up with these rules? Fred Carno? The Lancashire League once had the reputation of being the world's best. Now it's a laughing stock.

JOE HARDCASTLE, Cheetham Hill, Manchester.

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