Ribblesdale League preview: We aint won nothing yet, says Austin

9:05am Friday 10th July 2009

By Matt Donlan

STAR skipper Ian Austin is prepared for a tough battle tomorrow as his runaway Ribblesdale League leaders Baxenden face Earby for the third time in eight days.

But while Baxenden coasted to league and Ramsbottom Cup wins over Steve Hipgrave’s men last weekend, Austin is urging caution ahead of the Back Lane clash and insisted: “We can’t get carried away.”

Bash hold a 38-point lead at the top of the table and remain unbeaten with 12 wins and one no result as the season enters the second half.

And Austin said: “Yes, we are going along well at the moment and if we maintain that for the next month, we could well be looking at having the league sewn up and then we can start looking at where we go from there.

“With the lead we have it means we have to lose four games while the others have to win the lot. But that is no reason to sit back.

“We have to be on top of the game against Earby. We beat them twice last weekend and it is strange to play them again tomorrow. But they will want to bounce back from those losses.

“I know Herbie Hipgrave well and he plays the game with a similar mindset to mine. You play hard and give everything and I know for certain that Herbie will not be coming to our place to get beaten.

“It will be a battle as both games last weekend were and we will share a beer afterwards whatever the result.”

For a while last Sunday it appeared that Earby were on course to shock Austin’s outfit after ripping out the top order dangermen, including professional Babar Naeem when he was starting to cut loose and the former Lancashire hero for a duck.

“I think they would have been a bit sick that we got up to 180-odd after they took the early wickets and then we won quite well in the end.

“I don’t know if that will have any effect on them. But they will be determined to beat us no matter what.”

Until a month ago, Read appeared to be the only serious challengers to Baxenden – but they have lost their way and are desperate to rediscover their form when they host Cherry Tree, who beat them stunningly last Saturday.

Reigning champions Great Harwood have taken full advantage of Read’s slump to move into second and Russ Whalley’s men will fancy their chances at Barnoldswick.

Padiham are riding high and go to Whalley, while all eyes will be on the new Ribblesdale Wanderers professional Jake Brown as he plays his second game for the club.

He smashed the Blackburn Northern attack for a league record 237 on debut last week as Wanderers romped to a win – and the sides meet again, this time at Pleckgate Road.

Ramsbottom Cup finalists Clitheroe host Settle and Oswaldtwistle meet Edenfield in the day’s other games.