ON THIS DAY By Paul Hargreaves
July 18th, 2010
Lowerhouse vs Ramsbottom
The visitors batted first and Lowerhouse were on top early at 29-3. ‘House had the bonus of South African pro’ Ross McMillan being out for a duck. He was a victim for Jonny Russell. He achieved Hall of Fame status taking 242 wickets. He can still be seen bowling to this day, but the action now is on a crown green, mostly at Ighten Mount B.C.
The last time I saw Jonny we didn’t talk of any type of bowling but his two off the final ball to achieve a tie in a fantastic 2011 match at Seedhill.
Rammy’s innings was turned around by the Bell brothers, David(49) and Alex(36). Both were great servants for the Club but their combined career total of runs was less than their old dad. Ian Bell scored over nine thousand Lancashire League runs including 51 fifties. He became very much a familiar figure, mostly opening the Ramsbottom innings for 20 years.
This day the innings closed on 178-9.
It started as a challenging total and soon became Everest as ‘House slumped to 75-7. Lowerhouse pro’ Aaron Heal had an underwhelming game, scoring only a single to add to a solitary wicket. Most of the season was disappointing for him, but out of nowhere on August 22nd, he had a great game at Colne. He scored a brilliant 133 and took 4-27, in a dominant win. Lowerhouse fans asked where that had come from?
Lowerhouse achieved respectability, mostly because of a fine 60 not out from Charlie Cottam. He was involved in a 78 run partnership with the young, emerging wicketkeeper, Joe Martin(29). Despite playing a demanding position, Joe has gone on to achieve a record number of consecutive appearances for Lowerhouse. He would also join Cottam as a member of the elite Lowerhouse amateur centurion club. Charlie’s century was at Rishton; Joe’s at Crompton.
Lowerhouse went on to lose by 19 runs and were a lowly ninth in the season’s standings. In contrast It was a triumphant season at Acre Bottom, and they were crowned Champions.
To conclude, Lowerhouse fans are a mixture of optimists, and as we know there are, without naming them, some noted pessimists, in the Joe Waterworth tradition. You have to wonder, though, if even the greatest of the optimists, after this underwhelming year, thought they would become 2011 Lancashire League Champions!