Ribblesdale League (3 May 1999)

3 May 1999

Ribblesdale League

Lancashire Evening Telegraph

Run-Crazy Cherry Tree set a new Ribblesdale League record for the highest total.

A magnificent 111 from big-hitting Paul Reed, which included 10 sixes, backed by a rapid-fire unbeaten 99 from professional Naeem Ashraf from just 46 balls, set up a total of 320 against Settle. David Hayes also weighed in with 55.

That beat the Blackburn side's own record of 319 against Ribblesdale Wanderers in 1995.

And Settle made a brave attempt to get the runs to set up another record.

Their 244-5 made sure the game recorded the league's highest aggregate of runs of 564, beating the 514 of Barnoldswick versus Read in 1991.

Settle professional Surendra Bhave finished on 139 not out and put on a partnership of 187 with Roger Hill, who scored 61.

Cherry Tree followed that Saturday victory with another comfortable victory on Sunday when Baxenden were the victims.

Lee Kennedy scored 51 not out and Ashraf was in form again, also with 51 as they rattled up 246-6. Baxenden struggled to make any real impression in their reply of 163-7.

Shahid Nawaz made a dramatic impression on his belated return to Ribblesdale Wanderers.

He smashed an unbeaten 159 - again against Settle - from a total of 247-6.

Graham Monk ripped the heart out of the Settle reply with 6-45. And on Saturday Nawaz scored 66 in a total of 168-8 with Baxenden skipper Peter Usher taking 5-36, before his side were bowled out for 122,

Barnoldswick had Kenyan Steve Tikolo as substitute professional for their victory over Clitheroe, who stumbled to 94-8, on Saturday.

On Sunday, former pro and South African international Hilton Ackerman stepped in and scored an unbeaten 58, alongside a 50 from Ian Scothern, as Barnoldswick passed the Oswaldtwistle target of 164 set up by 74 from Duncan Watson.

And another Kenyan, Maurice Odumbe, deputising for Mike Smethurst who was on duty with Lancashire, was instrumental in setting up victory for Edenfield after Whalley were restricted to 106-9.

Peter Sleep hit 66 and Dave Parsons an unbeaten 50 as Read successfully chased the Oswaldtwistle target of 146-9.

Great Harwood professional Shantanu Sugwekar was also among the runs, smashing an unbeaten 114 in a total if 213-2, backed by 73 from Dan Cheesbrough.

Those two batsmen carried on where they left off on Sunday, with 64 and 84 respectively in a total of 231-6.

Matthew Howarth took 5-36 as Edenfield were bowled out for 136. Blackburn Northern made a valiant effort to reach that target, lead by 80 from pro Mark Lomas, but fell 24 runs short.

Champions Padiham maintained their grip at the top of the table with a stroll against Earby on Saturday, Mark Harvey's 80 dominating a total of 231-8. Earby could only muster 156-8 in reply.

Blackburn Northern again showed their improved strength on Sunday but again fell tantalisingly short.

Darren Walton took 6-63 as Padiham made 179-9, John Hartley top-scoring with 76.

And Northern fell just four runs short of their target, Lomas and Neil Weaver both hitting half centuries as Steve Gee captured six wickets for just 32 runs.

Earby again struggled with the bat on Sunday, Read passing the target of 81 for the loss of one wicket.

Clitheroe scraped home in the local derby with Whalley, passing the 186 targets with one wicket remaining thanks to 74 from Mick Dewhurst.

David Pearson scored 56 for Whalley and Mark Fallon hit 52.

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