OSWALDTWISTLE Immanuel captain Jack Harrison was glad to see ‘common sense prevail’ after the club had a 12-point deduction overturned and were reinstated in to the Ramsbottom Cup.

The Ribblesdale League champions were hit with a fine, points deduction and were kicked out of the cup for playing an alleged unregistered player believed to be new professional Akhil Rajput.

The New Lane club appealed the decision and at the league’s management committee meeting in Whalley on Monday night, it was upheld on a majority vote of 11 to two. The club successfully argued their case that the only requirement was to lodge a copy of Rajput’s contract with the league which they had done.

“I’m glad to see common sense prevail,” said Harrison. “We should never have been penalised in the first place. But we are happy the mix-up has been sorted out and we can get on with it.”

Ossie will welcome the 12 points as the champions have yet to get going this season – winning two games, losing two while two more have been lost to the weather.

“It has been a real stop-start season for us so far,” said Harrison in his second season as captain of the Hyndburn club.

“We win one game, then lose the next and we have had a couple of games postponed or abandoned.

“We just haven’t got going yet.”

Ossie began the season with a win over Brinscall but have lost two of their last three completed games to Padiham and title challengers Settle – beating Whalley in between the two defeats.

But Bury-born Harrison, who joined the club from Green Mount three years ago, is not too concerned about their early season results.

“We know there is a certain amount of expectation on us because we won the league last season,” said the opening batsman. “But the main thing is consolidation and making sure the lads enjoy their cricket.

“Last year was incredible, the best year of my sporting career.

“Our form so far this season has not been up to the standard of that but we are not too worried.”

Ossie host Barnoldswick in the league tomorrow before Ribblesdale Wanderers travel to New Lane in the second round of the Ramsbottom Cup on Sunday.

And Harrison admits the cup rather than the title will be their main priority.

“Of course we would love to retain the title but, of the two, the cup is our priority,” he said.

“The club won the cup in 2015, the year before I arrived and we would love another cup run.”

With the focus now back on the crease rather than committee meetings, Harrison is backing professional Rajput to come good, a score of 25 in the abandoned game with Read his best effort with the bat to date while he has only taken 10 wickets.

“He has taking a little time to adjust to the pitches, which is not unusual, but Akhil is a great player and a great bloke to have around and I am sure he will come good,” said Harrison.

* Fixtures

Saturday - league: Brinscall v Read, Earby v Ribblesdale Wanderers, Euxton v Cherry Tree, Feniscowles v Baxenden, Oswaldtwistle Immanuel v Barnoldswick, Padiham v Whalley, Salesbury v Settle.

Sunday - Ramsbottom Cup second round: Earby v Brinscall, Ossie Immanuel v Ribblesdale Wanderers, Settle v Read, Whalley v Baxenden.