On a good batting track, Lowerhouse won the toss and elected to bat, the Lowerhouse openers were kept quiet by some tight bowling from Kamran Khan and Tofeeq Khan . Next to take the bowl was Stephan Heins and the up and coming 14 YEAR OLD Graham Sneddon ( big Grez ). Heinsy struggled at first, bowling into a strong breeze, but like the pro he is, found a good line and length. At the other end , Big Grez was a revelation finishing with one for eighteen off his full ten overs . With wickets in the locker Lowerhouse launched a ferocious attack on the remaining bowlers, Danny Greenwood and Len Dewhurst, both picking up wickets, but in the end Lowerhouse setting a formidable target of 196. Now for the run chase!

Accrington's innings started in the worst possible fashion, the normally reliable openers of Mos Whittle and Nas Hussain were sent packing and Accrington were 6 for two, then came the fight back Heinsy ( 45 ), Tofeeq ( 33 ) and Bizzy ( 41 ) got us into a position to be competitive, but with all three of them gone and the score reading 147 for 8 with 9 overs to go the prospect for a 2nd final in three years looked bleak to say the least . But there is a spirit in the seconds, a spirit that never knows when it is beaten, and this is shown throughout the team, the experienced ones and the young ones, and on this day the young ones came of age. Big Grez ( 27 no ) and Abbass Sadiq ( 16 no ) produced a performance that those who witnessed ( and there were plenty ) will never forget, the magnificent two took the team to victory with four bowls to spare.

The team that day is shown below, and everyone of the valiant 12 played their part, it was team spirit that won the day and on the 3rd August with a bit of luck it will be team spirit that lifts the cup,

LEN DEWHURST KAMRAN KHAN MARTIN WHITTLE WAHEED HUSSAIN NAS HUSSAIN DANNY GREENWOOD TOFEEQ KHAN GRAHAM SNEDDON STEPHAN HEINS ABBASS SADIQ PAUL BARRATT SCOTT HUDSON

Roll on 3rd August home to Ramsbottom.
Team pic