1982: Holland Cup in Picture

Thanks to Anne and the BCTHIC archive for sending these cracking photos of the 1982 Holland Cup win in. You can view the post on their site here

14th September 1982

Photos from Lowerhouse v Rawtenstall. Lowerhouse have been pipped for the Lancashire League championship by just one point by Rawtenstall. However, the West End club were still celebrating on Sunday. Captain Alan Holden was presented with the Holland Cup awarded to the club finishing second. It is the club’s highest position in 120 years of cricket and the first major trophy to arrive at the West End. Sunday’s last match decider saw Lowerhouse beat Rawtenstall but it was not enough to force a championship play-off. They needed to bowl Rawtenstall out for the vital bonus point, but their rivals closed the door and Lowerhouse captured just six wickets.

The match report says that as it was an impossible task for Lowerhouse, much of the anticipation had gone out of the game which in consequence was virtually a yawn from start to finish. Rawtenstall’s Captain, Brian Payne, had said they would not declare but the their aim was “to stop Lowerhouse bowling us out first, and then win if we can”. They did not win but they certainly made sure that vital bonus point stayed out of Lowerhouse’s grasp. In an innings that lasted 138 minutes they crawled to 50 for six, boring for the huge crowd. Lowerhouse did their utmost right to the very end but it was never enough. However, at one stage it did look as if Payne might be forced into making a decision about declaring, with 10 overs left his side were six wickets down and just 40 runs on the board but then the shutters really came down with Brian Terry and Graham Lord making sure there were to be no more Rawtenstall wickets falling that day. Lowerhouse were not going to take it lying down. Evan Gray played a major part in every Rawtenstall wicket, taking five himself and a catch off Holden to dismiss Payne. Holden’s slip fielding was superb taking pro Franklin Stephenson and Glenn Barlow. Reaching the target was never going to pose a problem for Lowerhouse but Stephenson was keen. He needed three wickets to make it 100 for the season. He took Brian Higgin and Stan Heaton, to finish with 99. The season finished with Lowerhouse reaching 54 for 3 after 16 overs, taking four points and lifting the Holland Cup.

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