2008 Season Summary

Thirteen defeats saw Bacup slip down to ninth place. Scoring runs proved to be a major problem for new skipper Nick Cronshaw's team with only professional Chris Harris passing 500 runs. The New Zealander scored 539 runs at 33.7 but he was far from his usual fluent self with the bat. Paul Gallagher made 376 runs at 20.9 with wicketkeeper John Chapman (247 runs at 15.4) only one of two other players to score over 200 runs the other being Peter Killelea who made 211 runs. Matthew Thompson made a promising start to his senior career notching his maiden half century in only his third innings. Harris was the league's leading wicket-taker with 93 and he was supported by Peter Fell (23 wickets at 25.8), Joe McCluskie (22 at 19.2 in his first season in senior cricket) and Andrew Spencer (16 at 20.6).

Team Manager Tony Gallagher: "We knew 2008 was going to be a season of transition but looking back I don't really think anyone expected as much change as we actually got. If anybody would have said at the beginning of the season in April that for the biggest part of the second half of the season our team would have included a 15 year-old, 16 year-old, 18, 21, 22 and 24 year old, I don't think you'd have been taken seriously, but that was how the season panned out. With so much youth in the side it is not surprising that we lacked consistency. At times we played well, but there were many times when we were very disappointing. Our pro, Chris Harris lead the way, certainly when the ball was in his hand. He virtually bowled from one end all season and deservedly led the way as leading wicket taker in the league with 93 wickets. By contrast his batting probably fell short of the high standards he has set himself in his years in the league. He struggled for form in the early part of the season and, while he did regain some form, he found it difficult to take charge of our innings as he had done the previous year.

"Our amateurs never reached the level of consistency of performance that we would have liked. Only one batter scored 250 runs and we only had 5 amateur 50s in the season. 2 bowlers took 20 or more wickets and we had 2 five-wicket hauls. We had some outstanding performances, namely John Chapman’s “sedate” 72 not out off 42 balls at Nelson and Spenner’s Match at Haslingden – 50 not out off 28 balls after 6-36 with the ball. On quite a few occasions we just needed that bit extra from one or two individuals and that would have been enough to win the match, but it was not to be. Our youngsters have learnt from this season, they will be better players for this and the guidance and support of our experienced players."



New skipper Phill Gilrane steered Church to tenth place with ten victories. Andrew Bentley had an outstanding season finishing with 63 wickets at 18.8, including a hat-trick at Colne and he also hit 225 runs at 13.2 batting higher up the order. Professional Niel Bredenkamp also chipped in with 50 wickets and skipper Gilrane's off spin accounted for 43 victims. The return to form of Alec Holt at the top of the order was just what the batting needed with Phil Sykes missing all bar seven matches after breaking a finger against Accrington. Holt made 555 runs at 26.4 with five half centuries. His opening partner Sagawat Hussain hit 314 runs at 17.4 with a highest score of 62. Bredenkamp's 605 runs at 27.5 also included five half centuries. Adam Greenwood had a much improved season with 281 runs at 16.5 and Sam Holt hit 285 runs at 15.0 in addition to taking 10 wickets. Wicketkeeper Sam Tucker again proved himself one of the league's top glove men with 30 victims.