ACCRINGTON last night capped their remarkable resurgence by confirming their status as Lancashire League champions and double winners.

David Ormerod’s triumphant side did not bowl a ball all weekend as they suffered their third successive no result.

But with the points in the bag and Saturday’s wash-out at sole challengers Rawtenstall killing off any prospect of the title slipping from their grasp, Accrington were able to add their first championship success since 1975 to the Worsley Cup they won in August.

“We have turned it round in a huge way. The club has had some really bad times so to see smiling faces at the end of the season instead of having to write a letter seeking re-election to the league is a wonderful feeling,” said Ormerod after lifting the league trophy at a rain-soaked Thorneyholme Road.

“It would have been nice to have played against Rawtenstall and maybe have clinched it there.

“But it came to the stage where we would just take winning the league and getting over the line and I think we deserved it.”

Accrington, whose final fixture against Lowerhouse was also abandoned, lost just four games in becoming the first club since Haslingden in 1997 to complete the double and the 20th team in Lancashire League history to do it.

Ormerod led from the front with 71 wickets as he added to the three league title successes he previously enjoyed at Bacup.

That haul left him tied with Rawtenstall spinner Keith Roscoe as the leading amateur wicket taker and Ormerod paid tribute to Roscoe who retired last night with more than 1,250 league wickets to his name.

“It’s a shame that he’s leaving the league. He is a legend and the league has been a better place for having him in it. I congratulate him on his career,” said the Accrington skipper.

Roscoe was unable to add to his tally yesterday as Rawtenstall’s game against Nelson at Bacup was abandoned before the visitors batted.

He did get to bow out on the field after being promoted to bat at number four but in a Bradmanesque moment was dismissed for a duck.

Captain Andy Payne made a half-century to finish as the leading amateur run scorer, finishing just ahead of Lloyd, whose 849 runs was a massive factor in Accrington’s success on his return to the club where he launched his career.

“I always wanted to come back and play after I started out here. The club invested a lot of time in me when I was a teenager and it’s great to have come back and contributed to a double-winning season,” said the former England and Lancashire batsman.

“It’s great to see so many smiling faces at the club after it’s been miserable for so long. It’s been a great turn-around.

“There’s a lot of hard work gone into it and I think once we got into a position where we thought we could win it everybody has contributed. I’ve enjoyed the whole season and it’s great to have won the double.”

Graham’s father David also played a major part in reviving Accrington’s fortunes after spearheading the fund-raising drive which kept the club alive when it looked as though it might fold last year.

The former England international, and one-time national coach, came out of retirement earlier this season to represent the club he played for either side of his near 20-year Lancashire career and was at Rawtenstall on Saturday for the title decider.

“He started here and he felt honour bound to put things right. He’s thrilled to bits. He might even done the whites on again next year,” said Lloyd junior who, like professional Roy Silva, will also be back next season.