Cricket: local league action

Like other local sides they kicked their heels in frustration when the rain washed out most of the scheduled games on Saturday, but they were clearly champing at the bit when they arrived at Winton the following day.

An excellent bowling display was backed up by some keen work in the field as Bury held seven catches and wicket-keeper Peter Allen claimed three stumpings.

All that effort restricted the home side to a meagre 140 all out with skipper Nick Kennedy and Andrew Metcalfe, both taking 3 for 21, doing the bulk of the damage as each bowler was restricted to a maximum of eight overs.

The only fear then was that Bury might 'freeze' with a final appearance so close to their grasp but after Mike Brawn had gone for four runs, New Zealand professional Owen Steverson and his skipper had nothing but positive thoughts.

The Kiwi struck an unbeaten 63, which included three boundaries, while Kennedy had amassed 55 before he was caught with the game won and lost in the 33rd over.

It all meant that Bury had moved almost effortlessly towards a showdown with the winners of the MANCHESTER ASSOCIATION'S other semi-final, Deane & Derby, who saw off Stockport Georgians.

The two winners now meet in the final at Lytham on September 7.

Bury's local rivals Brooksbottom were one of the few sides to make a start on Saturday but their match against Weaste (107 for 2) was eventually washed out. Saturday's break certainly didn't do Stand any harm in the CENTRAL LANCASHIRE LEAGUE for they continued in the good vein of form which has seen them greatly improve their position in the table in recent weeks.

Having said that, they certainly cut it fine before clinching a four-point haul at Milnrow for the winning runs weren't struck until the third delivery of the final over.

That they had to wait so long was largely due to the home club's professional Dexter Fitton who strode to the wicket at 16 for 1 in the eighth over and was still there 40 overs later needing just six more runs for his century.

By then Milnrow were 180 for 8 and possibly fancying their chances after Fitton's marathon stint which produced twelve 4s and one 6 in his 118 minutes at the crease.

He and Newman (45) had provided the meat on the skeleton with a century partnership while others around them were having a torrid time of it against Stand's paid performer, Mike Warden.

He bowled 24 overs, eight of them maidens, and ended the day with 5 for 45 and to round off a good day, he included three 6s in a hard-earned 35 which helped Stand keep up with the asking rate.

Opener Phil Ramsbottom played an excellent anchor role as Fitton accounted for the first four Stand wickets, but by then the visitors had 147 on the board and had six overs in hand.

When Warden went at 179 in the penultimate over it was left to David Airey to face Fitton for the final six-ball drama, and he duly obliged with three runs off the third delivery and Stand were able to celebrate.

Not so Radcliffe who are propping up the rest of the CLL members.

Their season has been one of honest toil but with little or no reward and it was just their luck to run up against Unsworth's Champaka Ramanayake at the top of his form in a bottom-of-the-table clash.

The Sri Lankan pace bowler simply ripped the heart out of the Radcliffe batting line-up with an incredible spell which brought him six wickets for only three runs in five overs.

Ramanayake ended up with 7 for 33 from 11 overs, Smith chipped in with 3 for 13 and the visitors were all out for 69 in the 22nd over.

There were no major hiccups in the Parr Lane side's reply despite Sardar Shah bowling his heart out in a vain attempt to turn the tide.

He took all four of the Unsworth wickets to fall, including that of top scorer Ramanayake who made 23, to finish with figures of 4 for 34 off nine overs but the homesters pocketed maximum points with a six-wicket win achieved in the 18th over which takes them 12 points clear of Radcliffe.

At the other end of the CLL table, Rochdale have moved six points clear of Middleton following a 12-run triumph over their other title rivals Littleborough in a match which produced 435 runs for the loss of only seven wickets.

There was far less entertainment at Alexandra Meadows where East Lancs were looking for points to further their bid for the LANCASHIRE LEAGUE title.

In opposition were Ramsbottom and they found themselves on a difficult batting track when they took first knock, skipper Ian Bell scoring a gutsy 49.

The only other player to reach double figures was professional Chris Harris who made 28 and at the end of their 46 overs the Rams had scored 117 runs for the loss of eight wickets.

Five of them had fallen to home pro Billy Stelling whose 20 overs, eight of them maidens, cost a miserly 34 runs.

The wicket-taker then became the run-maker as an unbeaten 51 steered East Lancs towards four points. Phil Bolton chipped in with 38 and although Harris took 4 for 42 there was no denying the home side who are now five points behind leaders Haslingden who crashed to defeat against Rishton.

Two other sides to suffer on Sunday were Prestwich and Woodbank who should have played each other in the LANCASHIRE COUNTY LEAGUE at The Kenyons on Saturday. That particular local derby was halted by the rain with Woodbank on 50 for 1 in the ninth over after Graham Knowles had accounted for Phil Lowthian in the first over.

All other games in the league were also abandoned which meant a point apiece for everyone, but clearly that wasn't enough for championship favourites Glossop who went flat out for victory when they went to Heys Road on Sunday.

Damien Eyre took 5 for 43 and Greg Harwick 4 for 53 as Prestwich were bowled out for 130 and the visitors then lost six wickets before clinching victory.

They stand two points clear of Denton West who defeated Woodhouses but with Thornham coming up on the rails neither of the top two can afford to relax.

Meanwhile Woodbank were back in mid-table action at Roe Green but they made the return journey without a point.

The home side totalled 197 for 7 following an opening stand of 89, professional Paul Green making the major contribution with 56 runs.

Skipper Wayne Griffiths and Chris Humphreys took three wickets each and the latter stepped in to stop the rot when the visitors had slumped to 21 for 2 in reply.

He and Nick Holder put the brake on Roe Green's bowling and the latter excelled again with an unbeaten 87 which included five 4s and five 6s.

Woodbank needed someone to come up with one good knock to help him out but Holder was left high and dry when his last two partners were run out to leave the side with victory a tantalising 18 runs away.

Four soggy games got under way in the BOLTON LEAGUE but all were later abandoned due to rain and that means a total of 41 matches have now been lost to the weather, a very large slice out of the summer's programme.

The story was repeated in the BOLTON ASSOCIATION where Walshaw were one of the few to make a start, reaching 116 for 5 at Atherton before the elements decided to lend an unwelcome hand. Elton, too, made a start and were 62 for 2 at Darcy Lever before play was also abandoned for the day.

At that stage Elton pro Darron Foy was unbeaten on 35 and he would have settled for that the following day when he represented the Association against the Bolton League in their annual Trinity Cup clash.

He made 10 after hitting a brace of boundaries and the Association toiled to an all out 137.

It was the signal for the League side to launch their bid for yet another victory in a decade of dominance in the Trinity Cup and with Brad Hodge hitting an unbeaten 63 they cruised home with seven wickets in hand.

All RIBBLESDALE LEAGUE matches fell victim to the weather on Saturday.

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