FORMER Haslingden skipper Mike Ingham insists his quest to break through the 17,000-run barrier in the Lancashire League is being put on hold as he recovers from a niggling back injury.

And, as he prepares for his 34th season at Bentgate, he has warned bowlers across the county that he has no intention of hanging up his boots just yet.

Ingham needs just 53 runs to reach the historic milestone, although for the moment, he is more concerned about the back problem that saw him sidelined for the opening match against Todmorden at the weekend.

The 51-year-old right hander said: "I remember when I broke Peter Wood's record of about 14,900 runs, it was everyone else who was talking about it. And it's the same with this milestone.

"It'll be good to get past it and it's nice that I will have left my mark, but I'm sure it'll be beaten at some point.

"Just now though, all I want to do is get back playing.

"I've got a long-standing cricket back problem that first happened when I was 25. I've had it four or five times in my career.

"I've been training since the middle of December in the gym and putting in the miles. The amount of work I've done to get fit has been phenomenal compared to what I normally do.

"We had a friendly against Ormskirk cancelled because of snow, but I was still raring to go. Then, I was decorating at home, I dropped my scissors and, when I bent down to pick them up, I felt my back go.

"It's so frustrating."

Ingham, who has won nine Lancashrie League Champion-ships, made his debut as a fresh-faced 14-year-old against Bacup, where he faced South African professional Andre Nieuwoudt and made six.

The following year, his first full season with Haslingden, proved a little more memorable.

He recalled: "One of my most outstanding memories was facing Joel Garner, who was sub pro at Burnley. I ended up with 44 and I was the last man. It was the days before helmets were introduced and I remember leaving covered in bruises. I was black and blue."

And that appetite and hunger that he had as a young cricketer is something that has remained with him over the years.

So much so, that he admitted he can't wait for his 2008 season to get underway - albeit belatedly.

"I'm not setting any targets, but I still feel that I've got plenty to offer," he added.