Title goes to the wire (30 August 1999)

30 August 1999

Title goes to the wire

The Lancashire Evening Telegraph

Padiham professional Mark Harvey lifted his side to the top of the Jennings Ribblesdale League.

He scored a rapid 77 not out as the Arbories club took a run rate victory over neighbours Read, and gave them the chance of retaining the title with just two matches to go.

Ribblesdale Wanderers slipped to defeat in their derby match at Clitheroe where professional Stephen Benjamin scored 51 and Andy Burns 77, but Wanderers just missed out on a run rate victory with Dave Howard scoring 73 not out.

Great Harwood beat the weather to record a three wicket win over Oswaldtwistle Immanuel which took them to within four points of top spot, and the chance of their first league championship since 1900.

Cherry Tree could not get the vital last Blackburn Northern wicket, and had to settle for five points, with Mick Veevers top scoring on 48.

Professional Jonathan Harvey rattled up 80 for Earby with Matthew Plant adding an impressive 65 against local rivals Barnoldswick, while Michael Scothern took 5-55. Victory Park club professional Raja Arshad scored 61, but his team slipped behind the run rate.

Mick Hawke (58) top scored for Edenfield as they set a target of 173-9, Baxenden failed to make the grade as they were restricted to 141-9 with Brett Storey taking 6-37. Settle and Whalley just failed to complete their match with the Dales club in big trouble on 53-9 after Whalley had scored 176-2.

Padiham set up their charge to the top on Saturday with maximum points from their five wicket victory over Baxenden, when Sadique took 5-46 as Baxenden were bowled out for just 107. Ribblesdale professional Shahid Nawaz scored another undefeated century, his 114 not out helping Wanderers to 196-9. Gary O'Connor scored 52, but Read collapsed from 133-1 and were left hanging on at 166-7.

Great Harwood professional Shantanu Sugwekar ripped into the Earby bowlers scoring 11 not out off just 98 balls and was backed up by Daniel Cheesbrough 81 not out to claim an eight wicket win in just 32 overs. Applegarth professional Jonathan Harvey scored a century and Stephen Pickles 55 as Earby earlier set a target of 214-6.

Cherry Tree's nightmare end to the season continued after Clitheroe raced to 221-4 with Mark Bolton (63) and Neil Bolton (74) in the runs. Naeem Ashraf scored 54, before the Cherry Tree run chase faltered.

Barnoldswick were involved in their second tied match of the season. Professional Arshad scored 63 as Blackburn Northern's Darren Walton took 6-38. Mark Lomas rattled up 51 for Blackburn Northern as both teams scored 146.

Whalley profesional Surrendra Bhave scored 94 to engineer a six wicket win over Edenfield who set a target of 197-3 with Peter Holt 74 not out and Andy Wright scoring a half century. Results (Saturday): Barnoldswick 146-9 (3), Blackburn Northern 146-8 (3); Clitheroe 221-4 (5), Cherry Tree 160-8 (0); Edenfield 197-3, Settle 199-4 (5); Great Harwood 215-2 (5), Earby 214-6 (0); Padiham 110-5 (7), Baxenden 107; Ribblesdale Wdrs 196-9 (5), Read 166-7; Whalley 178-9 (5), Oswaldtwistle 149-9

Sunday: Baxenden 141-9 (0), Edenfield 173-9 (5); Cherry Tree 141-4 (5), Blackburn Northern 157-9; Clitheroe 200-6, Ribblesdale Wdrs 134-5 (0); Earby (5), Barnoldswick 134-4; Great Harwood 106-7, Oswaldtwistle 105; Read 195-6 (0), Padiham 176-2 (5); Settle 53-9 (2), Whalley 186-5 (2). TABLE

*PadihamÉ 24 16 5 14 2 101

Ribblesdale WÉ 24 17 6 12 1 99

Gt HarwoodÉ 24 15 6 16 3 97

Cherry TreeÉ 24 14 7 12 3 88

*ClitheroeÉ 24 14 8 10 1 85

WhalleyÉ 24 12 9 16 3 82

ReadÉ 24 13 9 2 2 71

*BarnoldswickÉ 24 9 11 14 2 69

EarbyÉ 24 8 14 8 2 52

*OswaldtwistleÉ 24 6 13 6 3 45

EdenfieldÉ 24 7 13 4 4 47

SettleÉ 24 6 14 2 4 40

*Blackburn NÉ 24 3 18 2 2 24

*denotes tie

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