WHEN it rains, it pours.

That might be something of a tired cliche but its sentiments were sure to be ringing in the ears of Accrington's success starved players and supporters, writes ANDY NEILD.

Few would have given the Thorneyholme Road side a chance going into this match against title-chasing East Lancs at Alexandra Meadows.

The club have been the league's whipping boys in recent years and only one win so far this season had done nothing to change that view.

But a stirring team effort in this encounter put them well in command and within an agonising foot of capturing maximum points before the weather wrecked their chances.

That was the distance a nervy prod from East Lancs number 11 Ian Haworth fell short of Mark Stevenson at mid on.

Had he pocketed that catch Accrington would have been home and dry.

But once that opportunity had gone, the heavens opened an over later washing out the final five overs and with it went Accrington's hopes of winning the game.

For all their hard luck Paul Barratt - stand-in skipper for the ill Steve Juliff - refused to let it dampen his spirits.

"We are very disappointed but that is what happens when you are down at the bottom.

"But I like to take the positive things out of situation like this.

"We might not have won the game but we more than matched probably the best team in this league.

"We have no stars but an excellent team spirit.

"Hopefully we can build from here.

"I thought 140 was a challenging total and I think our bowlers bowled very well.

"But in the end we've just run out of time." Batting was difficult on a damp track and visiting openers Stefan Heins and Ryan Campbell struggled early on.

A sensational slip catch from Brad Young diving low to his left finally accounted for Campbell after the Australian had made 26.

But Heins and Mas Ahmed then kept their cool and masterminded a superb recovery.

The pair put on 52 very valuable runs for the second wicket before Heins was trapped lbw by Young for 35.

Nassir Iqbal accounted for Mick Demaine and he then ended Ahmed's enterprising innings when Young held on to another slip catch as Accrington were reduced to 100-4.

And wickets continued to tumble as the visitors attempted to accelerate before they eventually closed on 141-9 as Young picked up 4-54 and Iqbal 4-36.

With conditions as they were that was always going to be a very defendable total.

And so it proved as Tariq Hussain struck twice early on in the East Lancs reply, removing openers Andy Clague (11) and Phil Bolton (2) with just 15 on the board.

All hope rested with Young and skipper Mark Lomas. But the East Lancs paid man was just starting to up the tempo when he mistimed a pull off Zaheer Afzal and was caught at mid on.

Phil Mercer failed to read Campbell's slower ball and East Lancs were suddenly in trouble at 48-4. A sweetly timed four through the covers by Lomas served a warning that the game was far from over.

And Paul Turner - who started cautiously - then got in on the act with an exquisite straight drive to the rope, followed by a flick over square leg for four.

But just as the home side were getting back on track, Khazar Shazad struck twice in quick succession.

He claimed the crucial wicket of Lomas (20) lbw, and shortly after accounted for Paul Kelly as East Lancs stuttered to 73-6.

Turner was run out not long after thanks to a smart piece of fielding from Campbell.

A quickfire partnership between Simon Westwell (5) and Jan Van Boeckell ended in Westwell being run out.

And Van Boeckell was ninth man out, the victim of another lbw decision, after a run-a-ball 17.

With the clouds getting ever darker overhead, an inside edge from Iqbal just missed his stumps.

Then came Haworth's leading edge which dropped just short of Stevenson.

But with Accrington poised for a memorable victory, down came the rain to spare East Lancs' blushes.

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