1971: Lowerhouse in sensational win

A great set of photos sent in from Anne at the BCTHIC (Original Post Here)

Lowerhouse achieved the sensation of the Sunday Lancashire League programme by defeating the champions, Burnley, at Turf Moor in a game in which 16 wickets fell for a mere total of 125 runs. Hero of the encounter was the West End professional, Des Sparks, who not only had the best bowling performance of his league career so far with eight for two and a half but was his team’s top scorer with 21. 

Burnley crumpled unaccountably to the attack of Sparks and Denis Pollard, who had two for 13 in five good-length overs. John Stott started an afternoon of surprises by winning the toss and sending Burnley in to bat. There seemed no indication of impending doom for the home side for both Roland Harrison and Bernard Lavin appeared reasonably comfortable against Sparks and Stott. The pair had an opening partnership of 26 before Sparks struck to dismiss the skipper. Fortunately Lavin remained unperturbed as further disasters occurred and four wickets were down for 58. Sparks bowling at a rare pace caused the delivery to lift, and his best was the one which swung later from the off. The Burnley procession started with unbelievable regularity with 61 on the board. Six wickets fell without the addition of a run. Burnley were 61 all out in 23.4 overs. 

With the West End batting so notoriously suspect, it was regarded as anyone’s match even considering the meagre total. Lowerhouse had three down for 13 when Gordon Jones was joined by Des Sparks, who after looking far from happy, suddenly opened up and hit Rhodes for two boundaries. Then he pulled one from Fletcher into the cars round the boundary edge. After 13 overs the score was 41 for three. Sparks was fifth out at 43 and still the result was in the balance. Joe Holland left at 54 and Peter Catlow and Duncan Hall grimly held on, a boundary levelled the scores and Catlow made the winning hit in the 22nd over.

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