Lancashire League Handbook 2016

14 A close end of season looked to be on hand but Ramsbottom had a disastrous August with 3 defeats in the month leaving them 36 points behind Burnley with only 2 matches left despite Burnley having lost the derby game at Lowerhouse on the last day of the month. Enfield were now on Ramsbottom’s shirt tails looking for the Holland Cup only 3 points behind and kept up the pressure by winning a 600 run thriller at Bentgate thanks to a massive 187 from substitute Alviro Petersen. Ramsbottom did the business at Rishton and going into the last game Ramsbottom led Enfield by 5 points. A final twist saw Nelson bowl Ramsbottom out for 72 at Acre Bottom and then knock the runs off in less than 30 overs. Advantage Enfield who were at home to Rishton and managed to bowl the visitors out for 158 but slumped to 138 for 6 before sub Alviro Petersen and Lewis Wright saw them home by 4 wickets to overtake Ramsbottom and win their first senior trophy since 2007 when they won the T20 at Haslingden. Burnley signed off with wins against Bacup and Todmorden. Professional Chris Holt scored 646 runs (4 - 50’s) and a top score of 97. He also took 82 wickets with a best of 7 for 32, making him leading wicket taker within the League and also held 8 catches. Burnley’s top performer with the bat was Vishal Tripathi who overtook Jonathon Harvey’s Club record of 1014 with 1138 runs, a top score of 135 against Church at Turf Moor, 112 at Enfield and110 against Nelson. And a further 6 half centuries, and there was another hundred in the cup (111) against Haslingden. David Brown made exactly 1000 runs and 11 half centuries and Jonathan Clare contributed a further 410 with a top score of 116 no against East Lancs and a further century (100 no) against Accrington. Skipper Bharat Tripathi was the main support with the ball to Chris Holt with 43 wickets, soundly supported by Jehangir Liaqat with 37 and Cole Hayman 30. Enfield took the Holland Cup for the first time since 2002, the 6th time they have been runners up. Graeme van Buuren made 674 runs with a top score of 120 no against Bacup and he also took 63 wickets with five 5 wicket hauls and a best of 7 for 25. Top amateur batsman was Adam Bracewell with 851 runs with 3 centuries 104 no v Haslingden, 103 no v Accrington and 125 not out v Rishton. The next major contributor with the bat was Liam Bedford with 604 runs (4 fifties).