Lancashire League Handbook 2015

14 At the end of May Lowerhouse had lost 3 games from 7. They lost only one more Leaguematch in the season. Professional Cobus Pienaar scored 446 runs (2 - 50's) and a century in the Worsley Cup. He also took 68wickets and held10 catches. Lowerhouse's top performer with the bat was Ben Heap with 542 runs, a top score of 96 and 5 half centuries in total. Joe Hawke 473, Jonny Whitehead 431, Matt Walker 381 and Jonathan Finch 358 were the next major contributors with the bat. With the ball, Matt Walker (42), Joe Hawke (34) and Paddy Martin (32) were the main support to Cobus Pienaar and behind the stumps, Joe Martin broke his ownwicketkeeping recordwith 54 victims. Ramsbottom took the Holland Cup for the first time since 2005, the 12th time they have been runners up. Their last game of the season victory actually saved their 2010 points record. Daryn Smit was a revelation with the ball as he took 88 wickets with 11 5 wicket hauls and a best of 7 for 10. Had he not been called home early he would more than likely have achieved the 100 wickets mark. With the bat he made 790 runs, not surprisingly he returns in 2015! Top amateur batsman was Tom Parton with 743 runs and 28 victims with the gloves. The next major contributions with the bat came from Callum Kay 343 and Jonathan Fieldingwith 307. In bowling Jonathan Fielding took 47 wickets and Simon Read and Michael Haslamboth got 36. The Second Eleven championship was thankfully less affected by the weather than 2013with only 17 no results. By the end of May Lowerhouse led the table from Enfield and maintained top position at the end of June but this time from Rishton on games won with 112 points each. The positions were reversed at the end of July with Rishton now leading by one point. But by the end of August there was a completely different look to the table with East Lancs leading by one point from Nelson with Ramsbottom in 3rd. So with just 2 games to go any of the top 5 were in with a chance of taking the championship. Wins for the top 2meant that with one game left East Lancs led by one point. Nelson took victory at Bacup and the 12 points they knewwere needed to give themselves any chance of taking the title. That left East Lancs needing to Bowl