Ribblesdale League: Graham's six of best (23 June 1999)

23 June 1999

Ribblesdale League: Graham's six of best

The Lancashire Evening Telegraph

Run-Machine Shahid Nawaz has understandably been grabbing the headlines as Ribblesdale Wanderers chase a league and cup double.

But while the Pakistani professional, who made 131 not out against Earby on Saturday, blazes away at the top of the run-scoring charts in pursuit of his own record aggregate, Wanderers also have a bowler who is among the most prolific in the Jennings Ribblesdale League.

Graham Monk - pictured above - took 6-37 in Wanderers' 47-run success over Earby, a win which gave them a three-point cushion over Padiham at the top of the table. This was Monk's third six-wicket haul of the season!

And his total of 32 wickets means he now trails only Padiham's Shaun Rashid in the table of leading wicket-takers.

"I've probably learned a bit of sense in my old age," said Monk, whose career has previously seen him play for Clitheroe, Read, Leyland and Chorley before he returned to Church Meadow some six years ago. But I am enjoying it more now," he added. "I'm more relaxed and playing in a winning team.

"Last year I was quite happy with my bowling but I didn't bowl that much. This year I seem to be bowling a lot more and I'm getting good players out.

"It's handy bowling at Ribblesdale where I can pick my end and wheel away. And my job becomes easy when you are defending 200. Batsman have got to take chances and there's less pressure on the bowler. But it's not me. If I wasn't doing it, Terry (Braithwaite) or someone else would be."

Monk replaced Braithwaite in the attack early on Saturday and proceeded to work his way through the Earby batting line-up, capturing the crucial wicket of in-form professional Jonathan Harvey, who added 59 to his recent run-glut. "Getting a big score makes it easy. They were doing all right but they were never really going to do it. The main problem was the weather and if they got ahead of the run-rate but we managed to keep it tight and they didn't get in front," added the left-arm spinner, whose one frustration was to see the visitors' last pair hold on at 167-9.

"It would be nice to get a few more maximum points. I think we've had nine out on three or four occasions and we have been frustrated at the death."

While Wanderers were again indebted to Nawaz, Monk believes the title-chasers are now developing the strength in depth to sustain a title challenge.

"I think we've got a good chance," he added.

"David Howard coming back to the club has made a big difference. He came back from Rishton a couple of weeks ago and has given us that extra dimension."

"I think people are looking at Ribblesdale and saying we aren't just a one-man team which has been the thing for the past season-and-a-half."

That was illustrated on Sunday when Nawaz went for 28 and Wanderers were in trouble at 49-4 against Padiham in the semi-finals of the Ramsbottom Cup.

However, with Howard making 42 and 15-year-old Dave Gardner-Chan chipping in with 19, the visitors scrambled to 165-9. Padiham were 83-1 at one stage in their reply, but again Braithwaite's men dug deep and Howard removed four of the top six batsmen, including professional Mark Harvey for 37 as the hosts were dismissed for 140.

Wanderers' win set up a final clash with Cherry Tree at Church Meadow, and the two stage a dress rehearsal in the league on Saturday when third-placed Cherry Tree will be looking to close the gap at the top of the table.

"With the final being at Ribblesdale I think it gives us the slight edge but it will be a different game at Cherry Tree," added Monk.

"It's a smaller ground and if it's a fine weekend I would expect it to be a good batting pitch. So it could be down to our pro and I'm sure he'll be up for it. They have a very good bowling attack but so do we, and we are on a roll.

"People are finding it difficult to beat us, even when it looks like we are going to lose, as we showed on Sunday."

Ribblesdale Wanderers went three points clear at the top of the table after Padiham's game against Clitheroe was abandoned as a draw because of rain.

Having dismissed Clitheroe for 155, Padiham were 118-6 when play was called off 20 overs into their reply. They were ahead of the required run-rate but were unable to bat the 25 overs needed to force a result.

Had the game gone the full distance, however, Clitheroe may also have fancied their chances of securing victory.

Whalley's David Pearson was in the runs on Sunday when he scored an unbeaten century for Cumberland in the ECB's 38-county competition.

Former East Lancashire batsman Pearson, who missed Whalley's Ramsbottom Cup semi-final defeat to Cherry Tree, to take up his county duties, made 120 as Cumberland beat Shropshire by six wickets at Whitchurch.

Source :: The Lancashire Evening Telegraph