Vaux Ramsbottom Cup: Pickles versus Onion! (20 Jun 1998)

20 June 1998

Vaux Ramsbottom Cup: Pickles versus Onion!

Lancashire Evening Telegraph

WHALLEY are hoping to be at their Sunday best tomorrow to pull off an upset against Earby and reach the final of the Vaux Ramsbottom Cup.

Disappointing league form means Whalley go into the semi-final clash as underdogs.

But that's a tag that suits opening bowler David 'Onion' O'Neill as his side bids to repeat their cup triumph of 1994.

He said: "If I was a betting man I would say they are favourites but that gives us an extra bit of edge and if we play as a team we have got a chance.

"It's our only chance of winning something so I don't think we will need a team talk.

"We have to get among them early and try and get Jonathan Harvey, Stephen Pickles and Steve Hipgrave.

"We are looking forward to it. We have been disappointing in our last few league games and everybody is focussing on tomorrow. Everybody wants to play in the final."

Whalley have already beaten fifth-placed Earby in the Ribblesdale League this season when professional Jason Smith took nine wickets. O'Neill got the other.

And there is one other pointer which may give Whalley added hope. In the last round they beat local rivals Clitheroe, just as they did on the way to overcoming Barnoldswick in the final four years ago.

"We are hoping the omens are right for us and we talked about that before the last round," added O'Neill.

O'Neill took 2-23 from his 10 overs in the 55-run quarter-final success over Clitheroe and in the previous round claimed 4-9 as Read were brushed aside.

And his form continued with another four-wicket haul for the League side in last weekend's inter-league clash with the Bolton Association.

The winners of the tie at Earby will face either Great Harwood or holders Cherry Tree in the final.

Their meeting at Cliffe Park promises to be just as intruiging with O'Neill admitting: "It will be a belting game that one. It's a pity they are on the same day because I wouldn't have minded watching it.

"Great Harwood are a young side but they are full of confidence and that counts for a lot. Ashraf can only bowl 10 overs for Cherry Tree but you would never write them off."

Tomorrow's Vaux Ramsbottom Cup semi-finals: Earby v Whalley, Great Harwood v Cherry Tree.

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