COLNE professional Joe Scuderi was taken from Haslingden's ground in an ambulance after collapsing while bowling.

Scuderi suffered a severe back muscle spasm and was unable to move for nearly 30 minutes until medical help arrived.

Scuderi was later able to return to the ground but took no further part in the game.

To add insult to a painful injury Scuderi's men lost the match.

Haslingden made 154-9 in their overs which represented a fine Charlie Lord-inspired recovery from 63-6.

Scuderi had taken 4-17 from his 15 overs when the injury struck.

Haslingden made sure of maximum points, bowling out Colne for 105 with Liam Bones taking 6-47.

Professional Martin Van Jaarsveld hit an unbeaten 91 as pacesetters Lowerhouse edged out Bacup by six runs to stay at the top of the table.

New skipper Nicky Hope also continued his impressive start to the season with 45 as Lowerhouse reached 185-4.

Following Hope's departure, Jaarsveld and Chris Bleazard added 95 for the third wicket which pushed the leaders' total just beyond Bacup. The home side made a spirited reply with professional Brad White and Peter Thompson adding 72 for the second wicket.

However, both fell to Paul Stansfield as Bacup subsided to 119-6.

And they were up against it as they required 24 from the last two overs and 11 from the last two balls.

Terry Lord hit a four from the penultimate delivery but was run out for a defiant 37 from the final delivery with a six needed to tie the scores.

West Indian professional Neil McGarrell and his Church team-mate Maboob Hussain were the stars of the show as the Blackburn Road outfit crushed Ramsbottom by 135 runs.

After a slow start, McGarrell entered the fray and upped the tempo on his way to a crucial 55.

And vital late contributions from skipper Mark Aspin (38) and Andy Aspin (22 not out) pushed the home side up to 182-4 at the close.

Ramsbottom were never in the hunt once Hussain ripped the heart out of the top order on his way to 6-28. McGarrell then decided to get in on the act, picking up 4-13, as the visitors were skittled for a miserly 47 in 31.5 overs.

East Lancs cruised to a comprehensive win over Enfield, though there were a few fluctuations before they eventually took complete command on another good day for professional Claude Henderson.

After losing the toss, East Lancs openers Andy Clague(38) and Phil Bolton (58) enjoyed their best partnership of the season so far, putting on 89 before Enfield pro Dave Saker prompted something of a collapse to 137-7.

Henderson, however, was in charge to finish unbeaten on 52 and share an unbroken stand of 53 in eight overs with Nas Iqbal (23 no).

Enfield's reply was soon in trouble and, Russ Edmonds (18) apart, they offered very little resistance.

Henderson (4-29), Iqbal (3-20) and veteran Ian Haworth (2-10) all bowled very well to roll the visitors over for 61.

Champions Nelson maintained their early season challenge for a second successive title with a thumping eight-wicket win over Todmorden. Chasing Todmorden's 135-6, Nelson were led home by opener Craig Whalton's unbeaten half-century.

Whalton, who gave a solitary chance on 49, hit five fours as he anchored the Nelson reply which was given late impetus by Roger Harper and Paul Garaghty.

Harper made a circumspect start before moving from 23 to 43 in three overs before falling to John Morgan.

However, Garaghty quickly finished the job as he hit five fours in his 29.

Todmorden lost Stewart Priestley and professional Brendan Nash to stunning catches by Marcus Phelan and Harper and got badly bogged down in the middle of their innings after Richard Baigent had made 44 with one six and four fours at the top of the order.

Danny Kegg kept it tight and then picked up three late wickets to finish with 4-49. Burnley are losing momentum after a promising start to the season and were spun to a 38-run defeat by Rawtenstall skipper Keith Roscoe.

Rawtenstall, who lost professional Lloyd Ferreira for nought, also found run-scoring difficult but their 122-3 was easily enough as Roscoe claimed 6-27 from 20 overs.

John Hall (42) and Peter Hanson (24) had given Rawtenstall a solid start and when Hanson went they had reached 57 in 25 overs.

But the acceleration didn't come until right at the end as the visitors took 22 off the last three overs with Richard Wood finishing unbeaten on 33.

However, Burnley were always struggling as their fragile battling line-up succumbed to Roscoe and it took a defiant last-wicket stand to deny the visitors maxium points.

Khizer Saeed and James Anderson dug in for the last 10 overs and the 18 they added also gave Burnley two batting points.

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