RAMSBOTTOM fell to another disappointing home defeat to second in the table Enfield.

After winning the toss, the Rams elected to bat first, a decision which in hindsight they may have regretted as the only time the wicket played any tricks was in the first 15 overs of the game.

Nevertheless, with professional Arnberger in good nick they made excellent progress and the Enfield skipper was at a loss who to put on to bowl to the big Australian.

Runs flowed to all parts of the ground and the paid man duly passed the century mark for the second time this season.

When he had made 107 and the score was 167 he attempted to reverse sweep and spooned the ball into the grateful hands of the Enfield skipper.

A brilliant cameo innings from John Harrison culminating in three successive sixes in the last over saw the home side post a challenging total.

Early wickets were needed and the Rams spurned a golden opportunity with the score on one when the normally reliable Harrison missed the stumps from less than 3 yards with opener Jackson well out of his ground.

This proved to be the crucial point of the game as the opening partnership of Jackson and Adnan took the score to 153 before Jackson was eventually caught in the covers.

A massive improvement is needed from Ramsbottom if they are to trouble the favourites Rochdale, who they entertain in the quarter-final of the Inter-League Cup on Saturday.

LANCASHIRE LEAGUE

RAMSBOTTOM v ENFIELD

RAMSBOTTOM

J Arnberger c Ahmed b Abid ... 107

S Woods c Ahmed b Holmes ... 12

K Webb c A Bracewell b Shazad ... 29

S Read c A Bracewell b Abid ... 13

M Dentith lbw Shazad ... 4

J Harrison c A Bracewell b Shazad ... 40

M Price c Barker b Shazad ... 4

B Horrocks run out ... 3

M Haslam c Barker b Shazad ... 2

R Hevingham not out ... 0

Extras ... 13

Total 227 (for 9)

K Barker 6-0-17-0; D Bracewell 6-0-20-0; N Holmes 7-0-27-1; L Jackson 7-0-16-0; I Abid 12-0-60-3; H Adnan 3-0-22-0; K Shazad 9-0-56-5.

ENFIELD

H Adnan c Woods b Price ... 77

L Jackson c Price b Arnberger ... 74

K Barker lbw Haslam ... 21

M Ahmed b Price ... 17

N Holmes not out ... 20

A Bracewell c Hevingham b Price ... 0

D Bracewell run out ... 0

S O'Loughlin not out ... 0

Extras ... 19

Total 228 (for 6)

M Haslam 13.5-1-53-1; C Eardley 5-0-21-0; M Price 18-2-73-3; S Read 3-1-22-0; J Arnberger 7-0-42-1; B Horrocks 1-0-7-0.