Lancashire League: Lowerhouse 108, Rishton 109-9

ASTONISHING! No other word for it...Corrie Jordaan's triumphant return to Lowerhouse was totally and absolutely astonishing.

Okay, so it's always going to be a special feeling whenever a sports star goes back to a former club and wins.

Extra special too when you play a key role in such a situation. But Saturday's events at Liverpool Road almost bordered on fantasy.

South African Jordaan, who took a ton of wickets while with Lowerhouse in 1997, claimed EIGHT of his former colleagues in inspiring Rishton to victory. But that was only the half of it. In doing so he conceded just 18 runs in 27 overs - 20 of them maidens.

There was a period where he bowled 14 maidens on the bounce, including four "wicket maidens," and went over an hour-and-a-half without conceding so much as a single!

Believe me, astonishing barely does it justice.

And, as I helped him hump a king-size "coffin" into the back of his car afterwards, the 34-year-old spin wizard admitted: "I would be lying if I tried to tell you that it didn't mean a little bit more than usual.

"I can never recall ever bowling more maiden overs than the total number of runs scored off me - although I do recall getting more wickets with nine in a game for Lowerhouse at Church. "I enjoyed the game, enjoyed the win and enjoyed meeting up with some old friends. I must say that 95 per cent of the people at Lowerhouse are my friends.

"But Rishton is my club now and while we don't have a team of world beaters we do have a hunger for winning and 11 triers.

"Personally there is no way I expect to repeat the 100 wickets achievement - grief, there aren't even replays this season.

"But the pitch and the conditions suited me - surprised me in fact. They say they don't want a bowling pro here and yet they prepare a wicket like that."

On another day Rishton's Russell Whalley would have taken star billing.

The skipper started off as a wicketkeeper before discarding the pads to bowl a tidy spell of medium pace.

Later on he put in a swashbuckling knock just when the game could have slipped out of reach, three sixes and a couple of fours in a quickfire 32.

Jordaan's left arm magic troubled every Lowerhouse batsman as the home side struggled to 108 all out on a stodgy track. The thick grass on the outfield (tractor problems apparently) didn't help the run scoring, but Rishton were far from comfortable in reply. Indeed, at 77-6 they were in deepish water with Whalley back in the pavilion.

But Jon Dobson (32 not out) played the anchor role sensibly and John Davies offered sound support to squeeze Rishton through.

But this was always going to be a game about one man - and Corrie Jordaan wasn't going to pass up the opportunity.

He is some bowler and if Rishton can find half-a-dozen reliable and consistent batsmen then they must have a chance of finishing there or thereabouts.

As one Lowerhouse supporter put it: "He gets people out for fun and is the best since Johnny Wardle."

Praise indeed.

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