Lancashire League: Church in lurch! (2 Aug 1997)

2 August 1997

Lancashire League: Church in lurch!

Lancashire Evening Telegraph

CHURCH and Rawtenstall face an end of season cup final - for the Lancashire League wooden spoon.

The West End outfit briefly flirt with the title race when Brendan Creevey's men travel to championship-chasing East Lancs tomorrow.

But then the two strugglers lock horns next weekend with both clubs desperate to avoid bottom spot.

It is scenario which has clearly disappointed Australian professional Creevey.

The Queensland all-rounder was full of optimism in his first season in English club cricket but with 43 wickets and a batting average of 26, Creevey instinctively knows he has not hit top note.

The Church professional observed: "The whole season has proved a genuine struggle for us and it is a sad situation.

"But we have to be realistic and realise our situation and try and fight our way out of it.

"We have a good team spirit at Church but we are badly lacking in confidence now.

"Losing is a disease and we have become better losers than winners.

"Our biggest problem is that we have not been able to post enough runs on the board to cause the opposition enough problems. "It is a transitional period for the club.

"For instance, we've got quite a few senior professionals over 30 and we've got an average age of around 32.

"Yet in the second team we've got kids as young as 12 and 13 playing.

"We've not got many players in the early 20s bracket who can offer us a blend of youth and experience.

"We will have to accept that the next couple of years are going to be quite tough for Church until we find a balance."

A rare Church success - only Rawtenstall have won fewer games - ironically arrived against East Lancs in the first week of May.

A similar result tomorrow at Alexandra Meadows would provide a major lift for Church. "The fixture at East Lancs is a massive game for us. We just need to break the losing habit and then we can make progress," added Creevey.

"Personally, I've not done as well as I'd have expected. I thought I would have scored more runs," added Creevey.

"I've found the poor weather a difficult aspect to adapt to and the experience has been a learning process.

"I am a batsman who likes quick and dry tracks to bat on and that has only happened a couple of times this season.

"But nobody wants the wooden spoon and I am very determined it will not happen to Church."

South African Alan Badenhorst is Haslingden's substitute professional tomorrow as the leaders take on Nelson at Seedhill.

Haslingden will be anxious to get back to winning ways after last weekend's shock defeat against defending champions Rishton, only their fourth of the campaign.

Rawtenstall take on Enfield at the Worswick Memorial Ground with West Indian Keith Arthurton their sub pro.

Sunday: Accrington v Bacup, Burnley v Rishton, East Lancs v Church, Nelson v Haslingden, Ramsbottom v Colne, Rawtenstall v Enfield, Todmorden v Lowerhouse.

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