Ribblesdale League: Bold Briggs eyes top four finish (5 Jun 1998)

5 June 1998

Ribblesdale League - Bold Briggs eyes top four finish

Lancashire Evening Telegraph

IN-FORM batsman Martin Briggs believes Ribblesdale Wanderers can make a genuine push for a Lancashire Cup place this season.

And a top-four spot in the Vaux Ribblesdale League will certainly be within their reach if the amateurs continue to give strong backing to impressive professional Shahid Nawaz.

That's a big difference from last summer when Briggs admits the amateurs under-achieved.

Tomorrow, Wanderers are at home to Settle at the start of a string of games against sides lower than them in the table.

And Martin, who blasted his first-ever century in last weekend's win over Edenfield, is hoping the coming weeks will give the club plenty more to celebrate.

Currently lying sixth, Wanderers are in a good position to significantly improve on last season's bottom-half finish.

He is realistic about their prospects: "I don't think we are quite up to challenging for the league yet but a top four place is certainly something we should be aiming for.

"There's a feeling we can push for a Lancashire Cup place. "Last season, the professional had to win games for us, the amateurs were poor, we didn't do ourselves justice.

"This season we know we have to back up the pro.

"People are having to fight for their places and that helps. We are bringing two or three young lads through and that puts a bit of pressure on the established players.

"You know you have to knuckle down and can't afford to throw your wicket away.

"The way the professional has performed takes the pressure off everybody and vice-versa.

"It takes pressure off him if the amateurs do their jobs."

Martin certainly did that last Saturday when he rattled up the club's first senior century since Malcolm Dennett achieved the feat several years ago.

And, even though he has played at Church Meadow from being a youngster, it was his first ton at any level.

Did he suffer in the nervous nineties, especially as there was a danger he might be left marooned short of his personal target in the team's run chase? "Yes, definitely," he laughed.

"As we started to get closer I said to a couple of others that I would try to hit a single to bring the field in, then they could hit over the top.

"But, secretly, I was hoping they wouldn't do that.

"I got a bit nervous but I knew it was going to be okay when I was on 93 and then hit a six off Brett Storey.

"It was a good day and we had a few beers to celebrate. I've been in a decent run of form, the wickets have hardened up and hopefully it will continue."

Tomorrow's games: Barnoldswick v Gt Harwood; Baxenden v Clitheroe; Earby v Edenfield; Oswaldtwistle Imm v Cherry Tree; Padiham v Blackburn N; Ribblesdale W v Settle; Whalley v Read.

Source :: Lancashire Evening Telegraph (https://www.reednews.co.uk/let/)