Accrington v Nelson in The Worsley Cup
The two clubs have met eight times in the Worsley Cup with six wins for Nelson and two wins for Accrington, the second of which was when the clubs met in 2012 and before that back in the championship season of 1975. When the clubs met in 2002 Joe Scuderi hit an unbeaten 113 and Paul Garaghty 53 as Nelson piled up 237-6 and then restricted Accrington to 144-8. The first two meetings between the clubs were in the semi finals of 1920 and 1926. Both games were easy wins for Nelson who went on to win the cup both times. It was 49 years before the clubs met again in 1975 when Accrington won by just 10 runs after making 116. The clubs have only met once at Thorneyholme Road when Nelson won by 24 runs after piling up 246-4 in 1988. The next meeting also went Nelson's way quite comprehensively with a 74 run win at Seedhill in 2000. The clubs most recent meeting was in the 2015 semi final when Nelson secured a comfortable 8 wicket win after bowling Accrington out for just 51.
Semi Final Monday 2nd August 1920
Nelson 95, Accrington 50
Accrington's first Worsley Cup semi final ended in a 45 run defeat at Seedhill to eventual winners Nelson. In a low scoring match only two players, one from each side, made double figures in a match dominated by the ball. Nelson professional George Geary played a match winning innings of 45 before being bowled by W. Bray (2-19) as Nelson were bowled out for 95. George Leach bowled a tight spell, taking 5-23 in 19 overs with Alec Jackson chipping in with 3-38. Accrington had no answer to Nelson's two pronged attack of Alf Pollard and Geary. Pollard, one of the league's all time great amateurs, took 5-30 and Geary 5-18 as Accrington were bowled out for 50. Wicketkeeper Jim Inman hit an unbeaten 19 to save Accrington from complete embarrassment.
Semi Final Tuesday 17th August 1926
Nelson 206, Accrington 102
Accrington fell at the semi final stage for the third time and second time to Nelson by the convincing margin of 104 runs at Seedhill. The home side were 129-8, but the last 2 wickets added a vital 77 runs to take Nelson to 206 all out. E Bradshaw hit 55, JR Hartley 41 and professional Jimmy Blanckenberg 29 with the 9th wicket pair adding 50. Harry Howell took 5-64, Alec Jackson 2-26 and Dick Eddleston 2-53. Accrington had no answer to the attack of Blanckenberg (5-44) and Alf Pollard (4-29 in 22 overs) with only Bill Finney (36) and Jackson (19) making double figures in Accrington's score of 102. Nelson went on to win the cup just as they did the last time they knocked Accrington out at the semi final stage in 1920.
Round 1 Sunday 1st June 1975
Nelson 106, Accrington 116
Accrington had a tense 10 run win at Nelson. Accrington looked to be fighting a losing battle with Nelson on 98-5 after the visitors had scored just 116 thanks to Pat Calderbank who took 6-35. Graeme Fowler made 19 and skipper Peter West 29 but Calderbank dismissed them both and the in form Malcolm Taylor (14) but Alan Richardson came to the rescue with a well made 20 to take Accrington into three figures before falling to Calderbank. A superb throw from Worsick ran out the dangerous Nelson professional Collis King for just 5 with Tony Gallagher removing Frank Taylor and David Howarth, Accrington were back in the match. Skipper David Reeves (15) joined Chris Hartley in a stand that turned the match back towards Nelson before falling to Ian Birtwistle. Gallagher removed Varley but Mike Chapple was looking dangerous when Worsick returned to bowl him for 17 to make Nelson 99-6. Gallagher then bowled Hartley for a stubborn 41 and wicketkeeper Alan Haigh was run out by a fine throw from Alan Kennedy. Terry Wilkinson became Gallagher's 5th victim and then Calderbank was run out after mistaking the advancing Gallagher for his batting partner to give Accrington a 10 run win.
Round 1 Saturday 21st May 1988
Accrington 222, Nelson 246-4
An Anton Ferreira century set up a 24 run win for Nelson in a high scoring game at Accrington. Ferreira made an unbeaten 108 with eight fours and three sixes, adding 160 for the 3rd wicket with skipper Chris Hartley who was out four runs short of a century after hitting twelve fours in a knock that lasted nine minutes short of three hours as the visitors piled up 246-4. Ferreira then took 6-73 as Accrington made 222. Professional Rod Tucker top scored with 95 off 89 balls with ten fours and a six, adding 119 for the 3rd wicket with Neil Barnes (47), but when the Australian was dismissed by Andy McNicholas and Barnes fell to Ferreira, the home side had to start again. Trevor Hatch (21) and Paul Barratt (17) added 41 for the 6th wicket but both were dismissed by Ferreira, who quickly mopped up the tail.
Round 1 Sunday 14th May 2000
Nelson 202-9, Accrington 128
Nelson were the second team to do a weekend double over their opponents by defeating Accrington by 74 runs at Seedhill. Saturday's mainstays Craig Walton and Keith Arthurton both fell cheaply, Walton being one of five run outs in the home sides innings, but captain Duncan Spencer top scored with 76 and Paul Garaghty hit 36 in Nelson's 202-9. Accrington began disastrously losing professional Nathan Astle for just 9 and were soon 62-8. Tariq Hussain (46) and Damian Clarke (14 not out) gave the score some respectability with a last wicket stand of 34. Trevor Kegg and leg spinner Khurram Nazir each took three wickets for Nelson.
Round 1 Sunday 19th May 2002
Nelson 237-6, Accrington 144-8
Nelson hit the highest score of the day against Accrington at Seedhill. Joe Scuderi hit an unbeaten 113 and Paul Garaghty 53 in Nelson's 237-6. Lincoln Marshall also hit 27 for the home side with Accrington skipper Damian Clarke picking up 3-57 and professional Andre Seymore 2-57. In reply, Accrington were restricted to 144-8 with Paul Clifford making 32 and Mohsin Ahmed 27. Danny Kegg (2-11) and Jonathan Finch (2-11) both picked up two wickets for Nelson.
Round 2 Sunday 24th June 2012
Nelson 135, Accrington 182-6
Accrington became the first club to reach the semi finals after beating Nelson by 47 runs at Seedhill and will entertain Church in the semi final in a match that stated at the third time of asking. The winners of that match will host the Worsley Cup Final. The winners of next Saturday's 2nd round match between East Lancs and Enfield will enjoy home advantage against Lowerhouse in the other semi final on Saturday August 4th.
Aijaz Shah hit his maiden half century for Accrington and then took 2-25 as his side bowled Nelson out for 135. Shah hit five fours in making 55 from 124 balls. He put on 84 for the 4th wicket with Stuart Crabtree (35) as Accrington made 182-6. Professional Ashar Zaidi made 23 and Andy Greenwood 17 with Nelson professional Shahzaib Hasan taking 2-50. Once again extras helped Accrington's cause with 28 added to the total. Hasan then made 19, James Lickess 17 and Russell Bradley 15 as Nelson sunk to 112-9 with Mitch Taylor taking 4-19, including the wicket of Tom Bradshaw who top scored with 25 in a last wicket stand of 23 with Harrison Phelan (4 not out). Scorecard
Semi Final Sunday
July 12th 2015
Nelson 53-2, Accrington 51
Accrington's Fosters Worsley Cup Final dreams were shattered by Nelson at Seedhill. The home side reached the Fosters Worsley Cup Final for the fifteenth time after beating Accrington by 8 wickets. Sub professional Qaiser Abbas took 4-8, Richard Meade 4-16 and Sam Halstead 2-24 to dismiss Accrington for just 51. Openers Lewis and Russell Bradley put on 19 before Accrington professional Ockert Erasmus (2-26) had Lewis caught at short leg by skipper Graeme Sneddon for 12. Erasmus also bowled Russell for 26 at 46 and then Harrison Phelan (11 not out) and Abbas saw Nelson through to the final at 4.03pm. The match began in sensational fashion with Accrington, who made 316-5 against Rishton the previous day 24-6 with Meade and Halstead on fire. Meade struck the first blow by trapping Matt Wilson (0) in front with just 4 on the board. Skipper Sneddon was next to go caught by Lewis Bradley off Meade for 10 with the score on 14. Six runs later Meade cleaned up Jacob Clarke for 8 and then Halstead took the vital wicket of Erasmus at 22 before he had scored. One run later Halstead clean bowled Ali Hasham for 2. Meade then sent back Stuart Crabtree for 0 to have Accrington in dire straits on 24-7. Jon Hayhurst (11) and Keiren Grimshaw (10) at last offered some resistance, adding 21 for the 7th wicket before Abbas trapped Grimshaw. Hayhurst was then bowled by Abbas at 46. Abbas quickly ended the innings of Ramiz Hussain and David Ormerod with neither batsman troubling the scorers to leave Jimmy Hayhurst unbeaten on 5. Scorecard