WHALLEY skipper Mark Fallon believes his side will make amends for a disappointing season in 1998 by "springing a few suprises" in the Jennings Ribblesdale League this summer.

The Station Road club finished in the bottom three last year but got up-and-running for the current campaign with a high-scoring win over an improved Blackburn Northern side on Saturday.

Fallon led by example with 62 and Darryl Redhead posted an unbeaten 87 as Whalley set an imposing target of 192.

Northern made a spirited reply, led by the hard-hitting Neil Weaver, who hit seven sixes in his 74.

But Jason Smith's magnificent haul of 8-72, including the crucial early wicket of professional Mark Lomas, led Whalley home.

And Smith's decision to stay on as an amateur after being paid man last summer, is one of the factors behind Fallon's early-season optimism.

"I am absolutely delighted that he's stayed," said the skipper. "The fact that we have got a really good team spirit and a good set of lads meant Jason enjoyed playing here as a pro, so he has stayed on.

"He had a number of offers made to him by other clubs and we aren't paying him but he's stayed for the love of it.

"I think with him and David O'Neill we have one of the best amateur attacks in the league."

Their wicket-taking potential added to the ability to score runs at the top of the order, means Whalley should do better than last term.

"It was a disappointment," admitted Fallon.

"We weren't really a bad team but a lof of people didn't do themselves justice. Darryl Redhead was probably one of them and that's why I'm pleased he did so well on Saturday.

"Lee Kearsley has come back from the Northern League and has plenty of experience. He can do very well, hopefully I can carry on from last year, and with a top-class pro in Graham Knowles, we have some strength in depth. "I'm not guaranteeing that we'll win something but we might cause a few surprises and we might be worth £5 each-way in the Cup."

Fallon expects Padiham and Cherry Tree to set the standard again but added: "Looking at teams in the League, I think the standard of cricket is improving. That bodes well for the season and some good, competitive cricket."

Whalley face a double-header this weekend. Following the visit of Enfield, they are away to local rivals Clitheroe, where Fallon, despite hearing good reports about the batting of Chatburn Road professional Stephen Benjamin, is hoping for derby success to build on Saturday's first win.

"I wasn't disappointed at not getting the seven points. I was happy to get five to get off to a start," said Fallon who never dreamed the game at Pleckgate would produce 362 runs as he and Northern skipper Mel Gillibrand inspected a wet pitch.

"I didn't think there was any chance of a game because it was saturated, but Mel was keen to play, so we both agreed to give it a go.

"I won the toss and thought we would have a bat because being wet it wouldn't do too much, and so it proved.

"I thought 192 was a competitive total because I could see it would be difficult for batting and fielding.

"They got off to a decent start and Neil Weaver came in and really gave them some impetus. He was getting six an over at one point, but there was a lot of pressure on after the professional was out and we had enough in hand."

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