It was an excellent weekend for Bacup. Top of the table Colne were visitors to Lanehead on Sunday where spectators were treated to an exciting
and competitive game of league cricket. Bacup won the toss and elected to bat first, but were soon in trouble at 30 for 3 with openers Newbitt (6) and Fielding (3) and professional Serasinghe (0), with a rare failure, all back in the pavilion. There then followed a magnificent fourth wicket partnership of 101 between Chris Gansler and Matt Collinge. Wicketkeeper Gansler scored 44, a personal best, whilst Collinge made his first senior Lancashire League half century, finishing on a highly impressive 94 not out. Matt Thompson also returned to form with 28 not out helping to take the total to 213 for 4 in the allotted 50 overs.
In reply Colne lost wickets on a fairly regular basis but were never too far behind the required run rate. Professional James Price was threatening to win the game single handedly but with his score on 84 and the team score on 173 for 6, he played a rash shot to Aspinall and Ben Lord clung on to to the catch. In an exciting climax which could have gone either way, with the impending rain also threatening to have a say, Naylor and Bradford took a vital wicket each to leave Colne ten runs short on 203 all out.
This was a fantastic team effort which hopefully puts Bacup back on track to climb the league table. Serasinghe was again in the wickets taking 4 for 48 from his 15 overs, whilst Aspinall also impressed with 2 for 39 from 13.
On Friday night Bacup were in T20 action at Middleton. On a good looking pitch Middleton elected to bat first and made a very useful 169 for 4 with R. Tierney making 61 not out and Jones 49. The Bacup professional Serasinghe was the pick of the bowlers taking 1 for 20 in his four overs.
Serasinghe then went on to lead his team to victory with a masterful innings of 119 not out with four balls to spare. He hit fourteen 4's and six 6's in a chanceless innings which will long live in the memory of those who witnessed it. Newbitt scored 21 in a first wicket partnership of 83 with his professional but there was no doubting who the star of the show was.
Bacup remain unbeaten in the competition with wins against Todmorden and Middleton, an abandonment against Rawtenstall, when very well placed, and a no result against Milnrow. However, it is likely that they will still have to win their final group game at Rochdale on Friday if they are to qualify once again for the quarter final stages.
Meanwhile, it was a weekend to forget for the second eleven. They travelled to a strong looking Lowerhouse and were comprehensively beaten, being bowled out for only 57 in 15.5 overs. Nine of the ten wickets to fall, remarkably, were clean bowled. Only Charlie Gansler made double figures with 13 as Halstead with 5 for 13 and Stuart with 4 for 35 scythed through the Bacup batting.
In response Lowerhouse got over the line in quick time on 58 for 3 with Sam Lord picking up 2 for 20 and Holt 1 for 6.
