Ribblesdale League: Wanderers' policy pay-off (29 Jul 1998)

29 July 1998

Wanderers' policy pay-off

The Lancashire Evening Telegraph

Ribblesdale Wanderers are bearing the fruits of their youth policy as they emerge as the dark horses in the race for the Ribblesdale League title they haven't won since 1963.

The Clitheroe club are in joint third place on the same points as defending champions Cherry Tree.

Cherry Tree, who retained the Vaux Ramsbottom Cup on Monday night, face leaders Padiham on Saturday when they will be looking to close the nine-point gap.

And with Wanderers away to bottom-of-the-table Blackburn Northern they will hope to be even more involved in the shake-up on Saturday night.

Their progress is testimony to a youth policy started up in 1980 which has produced some key members of the current side, including in-form batsman Martin Briggs, vice-captain David Howard, bowler Andrew Ainsworth and top order batsman Paul Spencer.

"It's reaping benefits now and we have some other good young lads coming through as well," said club president Dennis Birch, who started the youth programme with former professional Malcolm Dennett after seeing all the local talent graduate to Clitheroe. Derek Kay and chairman Mick Britcliffe carried on the good work and the club now field sides from under-11 up. The first team are currently grabbing the limelight, however, as the form team in the league at the moment with five wins in their last six games, including victories over Cherry Tree and Great Harwood.

Professional Shahid Nawaz has played a key part as he closes in on 1,000 runs for the season but the amateurs have pulled their weight too.

Briggs has roared past 500 runs with three successive half-centuries - the latest being 88 last weekend as Wanderers thumped Barnoldswick by 100 runs.

Martin Davies weighed in with 53 before the hosts were rolled over for just 92 with Ainsworth taking 6-18, while Graham Monk is also well up the bowling averages.

After finishing well adrift in mid-table last season, a place in next year's Lancashire Cup would have been Wanderers' most realistic target. But their run of form has taken them into the thick of the championship race and on paper they don't have too difficult a run-in which could mark them down as serious contenders if they can hold their nerve.

"It would be nice to have something. We have gone through some lean times," admitted Birch who was serving the club when the last league title came to Church Meadow.

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