Ribblesdale League: Hard work pays off for Padiham's Harvey (29 May 1999)

29 May 1999

Ribblesdale League: Hard work pays off for Padiham's Harvey

The Lancashire Evening Telegraph

Padiham professional Mark Harvey believes a hard work ethic is behind the club's success over the last two years.

The current Ribblesdale League champions have picked up where they left off last season winning all of their nine games to date in the current season.

And victory over Settle at the Arbories tomorrow will book them a place in the semi-finals of the Jennings Ramsbottom Cup.

"We've worked very hard over the last two years to sort out a game plan and it's bearing fruit," said Harvey. "We're a young side with some exciting cricketers and people seem to want to listen to what I've got to say."

Everybody is contributing at the moment in a bid to extend the club's 100 per cent record.

Last weekend, Harvey hit a half century and Sean Rashid picked up 7-55 as they swept away Edenfield.

Then 24 hours later, Nasser Mehmood was the hero smashing 50 with the bat then claiming 5-53 to beat Read.

But they are going to need that kind of collective responsibilty again if they are to see off Settle.

The men from Marshfield may have made a poor start in the league, after just one victory in seven attempts, but in Indian batsman Surendra Bhave they possess one of the most dangerous professionals in the league.

"We've got to bowl in the right areas and make it difficult for their whole team to score and then it might put a bit of pressure on him to carry them through," said Harvey.

Padiham v Settle, Oswaldtwistle Immanuel v Ribblesdale Wanderers, Great Harwood v Whalley. Bye: Cherry Tree.

Source :: The Lancashire Evening Telegraph