Worsley Cup Round One

Church 250 for 9

Rawtenstall 136 all out

Church capped a memorable weekend and booked their place in Wednesday’s second round draw with a comprehensive walloping of Rawtenstall which contrasted with Saturday’s nail-biter against Lowerhouse and avenged the league defeat at the Worswick Memorial eight days earlier.

The substitute professional, Sajith Fernando, was the mainstay of the visitors’ innings with a knock of 82 – the first real meaty contribution from a professional with the bat this season (with due deference to Mark A’s 11 not out which helped win us a game) – and he began with a blaze of strokeplay to make Sag Hussain look a bit cautious but the rotund Sri Lankan dropped anchor when he lost a few partners and set his stall out to bat the full allocation out.

Talking of Sag, what a player he would be with a little more judiscion – after Ryan North’s early departure he set about the home attack with gusto only to perish on 23, lofting to deep mid-wicket off the fourth ball of an over he had already taken 10 off. You do the maths!

Fernando and Adam Greenwood then added 71 before Adam went for a fine 31 and when Sykes and Sam Holt followed at 130 for 5, the left-handed Egerton professional was in danger of being stranded..

But he found a dependable ally in Levi Wolfenden, whose innings of 50 was marked by a maturity and understanding of what was required in the situation far beyond his tender years.

It was a measure of Levi’s knock that he made his maiden half-century off 58 balls, compared to 76 balls for Sajith while the paid man admired, remaining solid at the other end.

The pro was caught on the edge with 5 over left just as he was probably planning to launch, but some lusty late blows from Andy Bentley took the target past five per over.

Bentley struck immediately as the hosts replied, removing Barlow and making it 23 for 2 when Adam snapped up a fine tumbling catch to get rid of Clough.

There was only really one man capable of winning it for Rawtenstall but the boys kept their pro Andy Payne quiet and when he drove Sam Holt to Andy Bentley at mid-off, you could see what it meant to everyone on the ground from their reaction – the Church lads ecstatic, their fans exuberant and a collective sagging of shoulders from the Rawtenstall people as they realised they now needed a miracle.

Josh Rushmore and Bulcock played well but an early recall for Bentley saw the latter trapped lbw and skipper Phil Gilrane has discovered that if he needs a partnership wrecker, he only need put himself on – when he pouched a return catch from Rushmore it was the fourth time this season he’s taken a wicket in his first over.

There was only token resistance thereafter as Andrew and the captain picked up four-fors, the smiling Sri Lankan fittingly having the last word with a smart slip catch to end the innings.