RISHTON could do worse than hide Andrew Bartley's passport.

The opening batsman was away working in China last summer and has just spent three months on a contract in the United States with Accrington engineering firm Emerson and Renwick.

He has evidently been missed as his return to the side last week coincided with a win over Rawtenstall when the 24-year-old scored a handful of runs down the order.

And following his reinstatement to the opener's berth yesterday, Bartley marked his second knock of the season with an impressive half-century which helped sweep Rishton to a rare triumph at Alexandra Meadows.

In tandem with Craig Smith, who made an equally valuable 54, Bartley led the visitors to the brink of an eight-wicket win which was sealed by professional Jason Gillespie's hitherto unseen batting skills.

It was a miracle that the game went ahead at all as the morning monsoon wiped out the rest of the Transco Lancashire League programme which will now be replayed on July 15.

And while Rishton's run-chase didn't come as quite such a shock, not many people would have backed them at tea.

Following a three o'clock start, East Lancashire used their 37 overs to post a challenging 151-6 as they looked to pinch top spot in the table.

But by the time Rishton had breezed home with nine balls to spare the hosts must have wished their ground hadn't dried out so quickly.

"It did look a good score to us," admitted Bartley after his 92-ball 50 had made it look anything but.

"But Craig Smith batted very well as well. "We kept wickets in hand at the start although I said to Craig at half-way that we had to get a move on.

"We both played a few shots and luckily it came off.

"I've played first-team cricket since I was 16 and I can't remember winning up here so it was a tremendous result for us."

Bartley, with only one league 50 previously behind him, was understandably a little rusty and he and Smith, who gave a difficult bat-pad chance to Phil Bolton before he had scored, scratched around early on.

Only 16 runs came of the first 10 overs and 53 off the first 20.

But Bartley and Smith, who needed to use Paul Clifford as a runner after pulling a hamstring, timed their acceleration to perfection as the game drifted away from the home side.

Smith went past 50 in 79 balls when he hammered Ian Haworth for six and the pair had put on 108 before Smith finally perished to a good catch in the deep by Chris Riley off Henderson in the 30th over.

A couple of quick wickets then would have tipped the balance East Lancs' way.

But Bartley, who drove and swept well, found the perfect ally in Gillespie and they upped the tempo further.

The South Australian would be the first to admit he's not the best batsman in the world but with perfectly orthodox shots he hit two fours off Paul Kelly's first over -- the 35th of the innings. Kelly had the final word when he bowled Bartley round his legs for 58 with his sixth delivery but by then Rishton required only eight to win. And Gillespie wasted no time in picking off Henderson with a lovely pull-drive through mid-wicket and a squarish cut to register his fourth and fifth boundaries.

His unbeaten 30 from just 24 balls was his highest score for the club and gave Rishton a 10-point win with nine balls to spare which can only do wonders for their confidence for the rest of the season.

East Lancs were left to rue a lacklustre effort in the field as they missed the chance to capitalise on water-logged pitches elsewhere.

Skipper Phil Mercer hit two sixes off Neil Wells as he led his side past 100 in the 30th over with a top score of 32 from just 37 balls.

Riley then maintained the momentum with a fluent 30 not out from 34 balls, including one sumptuous six off Jonathan Davies onto the bowling green, but it wasn't enough as Rishton made sure they wouldn't miss out again in a tight finish by getting home with a little bit to spare.