MANY eyebrows have been raised at the current position of East Lancs in the Transco Lancashire League.

The Alexandra Meadows side have finished runners-up for five out of the last six seasons and ended 2000 in third spot after a three-way battle for the title on the final day.

They were finally hoping to lose the tag of perennial bridesmaids by clinching the crown this year - but things have not gone to plan.

Andy Clague's side are currently fifth from bottom of the league having won two of their ten encounters although three have been rain-affected.

The one bright spot however is that they could pick up their first trophy since they won the Worsley Cup in 1998 after they reached the semi-final of the Inter League Trophy, facing a home tie with Central Lancashire League side Radcliffe.

But it is the league form which has left Clague, the new skipper last season, scratching his head.

Last term was a good one for East Lancs despite the loss of their pro, Australian Brad Young, with injury midway through the season as they pushed Bacup all the way for the title.

This summer they snapped up South African Con de Lange, a 21-year-old all-rounder who they hoped would be the missing link in their quest for the ultimate prize.

But an opening day loss to Lowerhouse was followed by defeats to Ramsbottom, Enfield, Bacup and Nelson and a Worsley Cup exit at the hands of annual rivals Bacup.

"It has been disappointing," admitted Clague. "We started slowly and the weather has hit us quite badly - we have been on the wrong end in some of the games.

"For example in one of the Bacup matches we made 174 which I thought was a challenging target and then we went off for rain. We came back on and they only needed 122 in reply. That was disappointing and we have had a few knock backs like this.

"I just feel like the season has never started.

"We are a long way off the top now and it is doubtful on the league side that we will pull anything round. So it is nice that we are in the semi-finals of the Inter-league competition, it gives us something to look forward to."

Clague can't say why there has been a big turnaround in league fortunes this season.

"We lost a couple of players in Chris Riley who went to Cherry Tree and Mark Bolton, and certainly early on in the season some of the players were struggling with form.

"In the past we have always had someone to pull us out of it but it has not happened so far this season. We just need a bit of luck."

De Lange has begun to find his form with the bat - hitting 68 and 50 in the last two games after making just two runs in the four previous encounters.

"He has come with a good reputation," said the skipper. "He is a quiet lad who hasn't got that much experience. He struggled with his batting early on in the season but his bowling was good.

"It did though affect him. But he has turned this upside down as in the last few innings he is batting well and now his bowling has tailed off a bit.

"But hopefully it will all come together and this is just a blip. We have got a lot of quality in the team to pull through. I am confident, we just need a bit of luck and the weather to stay fine so we can get a couple of wins on the trot and we will take it from there."

It's a home clash against struggling Church tomorrow - a team they have already met on their way to the Inter-League last four place.

They disposed of them then but the Blackburn Road's pro Mark Higgs is currently the man in form with the bat.

"He certainly got a lot of runs last weekend. He is the guy to get out. They also have got good amateurs for a team that haven't done so well over the past few years."

But East Lancs are hoping to unleash their own secret weapon in John Fairbrass, a legspinner who has played at Somerset.

He missed the early part of the season but Clague is now hoping he can make a big impact.

"He is great for us as we can throw him in and he can change things and hopefully help us turn it around."

TOMORROW'S GAMES: Accrington v Bacup, Burnley v Rishton, East Lancs v Church, Nelson v Haslingden, Ramsbottom v Colne, Rawtenstall v Enfield, Todmorden v Lowerhouse.