Cottam leads Lowerhouse charge

5:30pm Saturday 19th July 2008

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LOWERHOUSE fans could be forgiven for naming Charlie Cottam their new ‘Captain Marvel’.

Cottam has led his side to seven wins in the last eight games after taking the skipper’s armband from Jon Finch.

That run has catapulted House up the table, and with an outside chance of the Lancashire League title.

They face struggling Bacup tomorrow at Liverpool Road, with professional Brendan Drew coming off a century knock against Haslingden last weekend.

Cottam insists he has not made any radical changes at the club since taking the reins, and puts the run of form down to team-work.

He said: “We started slowly this season, and maybe a change around with the captains helped us. We were all shocked when Jon stepped down, and I suppose that gave us all the kick up the backside we needed.

“The professional is playing really well at the moment. He has performed all season for us, but was a bit unlucky at the beginning. He’s great to have around the club, and spends four sessions a week helping out the youngsters at the club.

“He’s been a real plus for Lowerhouse.”

Stuart Grant replaces Scott Hope, while Bacup are unchanged from the side that faces Rishton today.

Todmorden skipper Jon Henderson is calling on his injury-stricken side to try and become more consistent.

The Centre Vale side could have as many as four first-team players out of the the game against Nelson tomorrow.

Henderson said: “It’s another tough game and in Craig McMillan, Nelson have got a world class pro who can take the game away from you.

“But if we can try and become a bit more consistent with the batting, we have enough quality to get a result.”

MAHENDRA Nagamootoo returns for Colne for the home clash against Haslingden.

The former Colne professional, who took seven wickets against Nelson last week, stands in again for Blake Snijman.

“Naggers is superb and a true professional,” said skipper Matt Wilson, “You can stick him at one end and he will bowl all day and it makes my job so much easier.”

East Lancs will have spinner Jonathan Fielding as their paid man as they travel to take on Enfield.

David Turner and Paul Moss replace Phil Mercer and Nick Turner in the squad and skipper Mark Bolton is hoping to try and improve his side’s record at Dill Hall Lane.

He said: “We had two good wins last weekend and that’s given us a real lift.

“But we have to try and out the record straight if we can because Enfield hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for us in the past couple of seasons.

“We’ve got people missing again, and that’s been the story of our season, but we will try and replicate last week’s performances.”

BURNLEY skipper Qasim Ali will be desperate for an upturn in fortunes as his struggling side travel to RAWTENSTALL tomorrow.

The Turf Moor outfit slipped to second from bottom of the Lancashire League table after being skittled out for low scores in back-to-back defeats to Lowerhouse and Ramsbottom last week.

Ali’s men have been further frustrated by two successive abandonments in the 20/20 cup final against Todmorden, which was again washed out yesterday.

In-form CHURCH make one change from their starting line-up as they visit Ramsbottom.

Alec Holt – who has scored 410 runs at 34.2 with four half centuries this season, comes in to replace Barry Shorrock.