ON THIS DAY by Paul Hargreaves
16th August 2009
Rishton vs Lowerhouse
A battle of sub-pro’s this game. Adam Bracewell, the elite Enfield amateur batsmen for Rishton, did duty for the home team. He was the brother-in-law of one of Lowerhouse’s better professionals, Martin van Jaarsveld. The acting pro’ for Lowerhouse was Australian Carl Sandri , who played four times that season. It was make do and mend on the pro’ front for the ’09 season but Kiwl Ian Butler played eight times to provide some stability. Rishton won the toss and batted first. Cricket is very much a team game, and although 35 was the highest individual innings, the team had reached a healthy 195, when the last wicket fell in the final over. Richard Rostron and Andy Bartley both made 35, and sub-pro’ Bracewell was third highest scorer with 29. ‘House sub-pro’ Sandri was the least effective of the four bowlers used and went wicketless. The best bowler was Jonathan Finch(5-55), one of his 20 five wicket hauls for Lowerhouse. Finch transferred from Nelson in 2003 and became the most successful modern day Lowerhouse amateur. He made just twenty runs short of 5,000 and took 402 Lancashire League wickets. Only Tommy Shutt, who retired 100 years ago can claim a more fruitful career. Lowerhouse were soon in dire trouble after the chase began. Of the first seven batters only Joe Hawke(12) and Matt Doughty(20) reached double figures. Those were the days when Hawke opened the batting, and was able to advertise his talent enough to have two years as a pro’ in the old Bolton Association. It looked like the white flag was up and there was going to be a humiliating surrender. It was down to Joe Beneduce(33) and ‘keeper Jack McGregor(48) to salvage pride. They put on 86 for the 8th wicket. Jack scored his top score for Lowerhouse this day. He was a really stylish young wicketkeeper. His leg side stumpings were brilliant and of first class standard. His batting was on the back burner, though, and possibly hindered any County prospects. That side of his game did improve and he later scored a League century for Bacup. Lowerhouse’s rally ended 23 runs short of the daunting target, with the promising 16 year old Matt Walker the last man to fall. For Rishton Shaun Hutchinson bowled really well taking 5-28, and was backed up by Rostron’s 4-55. To conclude, there was a rare statistical anomaly as neither professional took a single wicket on the day.