Worsley Cup Final: Haslingden 283-9, Burnley175-9

DYNAMIC duo Steve Dearden and Jack Simpson both plundered sunshine centuries - but one of them needn't have bothered!

So one-sided was yesterday's Worsley Cup Final at Turf Moor that Haslingden could have managed quite easily without the contribution of either of their Ramsbottom imports.

A 108-run victory appears straightforward. It was.

Burnley offered little in the way of resistance and the men from Bentgate, every inch a formidable outfit, can now set about the task of claiming a league and cup "double."

It's a f eat Haslingden haven't yet managed - remarkable considering their success in both competitions down recent years - and no-one has achieved it since East Lancs in 1980.

"We've got our eye on it," admitted Dearden, with Simpson nodding agreement. The good judges reckon Haslingden have it sewn up.

Dearden and Simpson were the matchwinners, even allowing for the five cheapish wickets collected by Haslingden substitute professional Hamish Anthony.

For make no mistake about it the final, dominated for 99 per cent of the time by the eventual winners, looked like being a much tighter affair early on.

Burnley, given the task of bowling first in baking heat, had Haslingden if not on the rack then certainly thinking hard at 6-2. It was around that time the game turned on a couple of major incidents.

Burnley contrived to drop Dearden (something they repeated on a further two occasions) and the home side also lost ace bowler Kamran Farooq. In attempting to field a Dearden drive off his own bowling Farooq split the webbing in his right hand, needing a hospital visit and four stitches and was unable to take any further part.

Farooq had taken the opening two wickets and was clearly disappointed: "I got back from hospital quite quickly but the rules didn't allow me to get back on and bowl. I was sick about that."

So too were his colleagues.

How Burnley were made to seat and toil by Dearden and Simpson.

Runs flowed as a 1,500-strong crowd (gate receipts £1,697) sweltered in the August sunshine.

The former Rammy favourites put on a third-wicket stand of 179 in just 31 overs and 127 minutes.

The famous Cup was already in the bag by the time Dearden was eventually caught in the deep on exactly a ton, an electrifying innings which included three towering sixes and 12 fours.

Dearden had provided the fireworks, but Simpson's sheet anchor role was equally impressive. The innings was almost at an end when the stocky stumper departed, run out for 102 (14 fours).

West Indian Anthony and Paul Blackledge also chipped in with 22 apiece as Burnley's fielders chased boundary after boundary. Dropped catches at crucial times costly in the extreme.

Burnley's paid hand, Dale Benkenstein, managed only a couple of costly overs due to a back injury.

The South African though is known much more for his batting prowess and how his team needed a big big innings. Benkenstein came into the final with knocking up towards 1,000 league runs to his bat, but this was the ultimate test and challenge.

Burnley knew it, so did Haslingden and the temperature raised a degree or two when after an opening stand of 33, Benkenstein strode out to the middle. A boundary followed immediately, but when he had progressed quite effortlessly to Benkenstein made a rash shot which ended the game as any sort of contest or spectacle. He chased a wide and wild delivery from Anthony and Simpson accepted a catch down the leg side.

Still trailing by 220 and with their big white hope back in the pavilion, Burnley followers knew they'd had it.

There were a couple of swashbuckling flourishes from Andy McLeod and Waqas Amin, but Haslingden were winners long before Anthony clean-bowled Amin five-and-a-bit overs from time. Last man Farooq wasn't risked and Haslingden opened up the first part of a celebration that could run for another month or so.

Dearden, who turned in a match-winning display for Ramsbottom in last year's final at Bacup, said: "I always fancy myself as a big occasion player and this was my biggest score in a cup tie.

"Along with Jack I was new to the club this season after a bit of a fall-out with Ramsbottom. Haslingden were a good team before we came along, hopefully we've made them a little bit better still."

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