LOWERHOUSE took a big step towards the Lancashire League title on Sunday as young guns Paddy Martin and Matt Walker got them home in the gathering gloom against Ramsbottom.

The House, who were beaten on Saturday, needed 15 off the final two overs to pass Rammy’s 30-over 113-7.

But Martin, 19, and Walker 17, sparked scenes of delight as the ended the title hopes of the reigning champions and move ever so close to their second crown.

Accrington can deny them the title, though, and maintained their push with a good win at Haslingden.

Lee Ingham claimed 7-77 as Accy posted 150-8 at Bentgate before Haslingden slipped to 93 all out with David Ormerod claiming four wickets and sub-pro Anwar Ali and Jimmy Hayhurst three each.

Ali Sartaj damaged Todmorden’s hopes as he claimed 7-49 to bowl Rishton to a stunning win at Blackburn Road.

Gulam Bodi had top scored with 72 not out as Jimmy Bibby’s men posted 148-6 – and Sartaj then ensured Tod were four runs short.

Ockert Erasmus celebrated his new East Lancs deal by helping his side to a win at Colne.

The South African top scored with 67 and then claimed six wickets in the win.

Bacup moved above Rawtenstall by beating Nelson at Lanehead, while Rawtenstall were undone by Church at West End.

Burnley beat Enfield by one wicket in a low-scoring game at Dill Hall Lane.

Bacup v Nelson

Bacup innings
JT McGregor b Halstead 0
AI Taylor b Halstead 7
Pelser LBW Halstead 35
TM Farragher LBW Halstead 0
H Butcher c SM Lemon b Halstead 0
S Thompson b Meade 12
J Cunliffe b Meade 37
A Spencer b Halstead 0
S Ball c Lord b Nazir 26
B Lord not out 15
D Warren not out 2
Extras 8
Total (9 wickets) 142.

Halstead 12 4 28 6, Meade 9 1 49 2, Thompson 9 1 34 0, Malan 2 0 12 0, Nazir 2 0 19 1.

Nelson innings
SR Lemon c Pelser b Spencer 8
NS Thompson b Pelser 53
Malan LBW Pelser 39
TA Lord c Farragher b Pelser 1
K Nazir c Warren b Lord 6
DA Crotty not out 10
P Dibb st McGregor b Lord 6
SM Lemon c McGregor b Lord 0
RA Meade not out 1
Extras 9
Total (7 wickets) 133.

Spencer 9 0 33 1, Pelser 12 3 42 3, Warren 5 1 27 0, Lord 8 0 30 3.

Bacup won by 9 runs. Bacup 10 pts, Nelson 5 pts.

Church v Rawtenstall

Rawtenstall innings
M Kershaw b Anwar 2
SD Excell run out 51
AJ Clough c Bentley b Anwar 28
Cooray c Greenwood b Anwar 3
DG Barlow c Jamil b Bentley 6
N Khan c Hussain b Bentley 27
PV Hanson c Howard b Anwar 2
AE Riley LBW Anwar 0
Dean Barlow c JP Gaskill b Bentley 5
RM Shafiq not out 0
Extras 10
Total (9 wickets) 134.

Jamil 8 0 36 0, Anwar 16 0 45 5, Bentley 9 0 51 3.

Church innings
LBP Wolfenden not out 52
CM Fergusson b Shafiq 9
Anwar not out 70
Extras 7
Total (1 wickets) 139.

Shafiq 5 0 23 1, Roscoe 10 1 40 0, Cooray 2 0 28 0, Khan 2 0 26 0, Excell 1.5 0 17 0.

Church won by 9 wickets. Church 10 pts, Rawtenstall 0 pts.

Colne v East Lancashire

East Lancashire innings
DJ Pearson LBW Amjad 31
Minhaj Bhada b Whitehead 0
JPA Turner LBW Lambert 45
Erasmus not out 67
MJ Bolton b Amjad 3
PB Kelly b Amjad 6
DCT Turner c Patel b Lambert 2
NJ Turner not out 1
Extras 31
Total (6 wickets) 186.

Whitehead 10 0 38 1, Wallbank 10 0 28 0, Lambert 12 1 51 2, Amjad 12 0 57 3.

Colne innings
L Rimmer b Erasmus 42
S Quereshi c JPA Turner b Chester 4
T Jamil c Chester b Erasmus 0
Amjad c JPA Turner b NJ Turner 16
N Whitehead b Erasmus 7
S Tillotson run out 12
EM Walker b Erasmus 2
J Lambert b Erasmus 35
B Patel c Egan b Erasmus 0
NA Rimmer not out 39
D Wallbank b NJ Turner 9
Extras 9
Total (10 wickets) 175.

Erasmus 22 4 74 6, Chester 8 4 26 1, NJ Turner 9.3 0 41 2, Kelly 4 0 32 0.

East Lancashire won by 11 runs. Colne 4 pts, East Lancashire 12 pts.

Enfield v Burnley

Enfield innings
A Fazal c Tate b Hayman 0
A Gowers c Ali b Wasim 6
Coetsee c J Whitehead b Mortimer 7
AP Bracewell c Brunt b Capstick 30
LL Jackson b Capstick 11
S Hussain st Burton b Capstick 2
JE Cook LBW Capstick 0
CD Maudsley c Wasim b Brunt 0
Z Afzal c Ali b Brunt 0
A Blake c Ali b Hayman 4
A Whittaker not out 0
Extras 16
Total (10 wickets) 76.

Hayman 6.1 1 12 2, Mortimer 3 1 14 1, Wasim 8 0 25 1, Capstick 10 3 12 4, Brunt 4 0 7 2.

Burnley innings
J Whitehead b Coetsee 24
MQ Ali c Blake b Coetsee 6
MR Kelly c Blake b Coetsee 3
Wasim LBW Coetsee 10
CT Burton c Hussain b Coetsee 11
G Whitehead c Bracewell b Coetsee 8
A Tate LBW Coetsee 0
SR Brunt c Coetsee b Afzal 2
P Mortimer st Gowers b Coetsee 2
C Hayman not out 7
J Capstick not out 0
Extras 8
Total (9 wickets) 81.

Jackson 4 1 4 0, Coetsee 16 7 24 8, Afzal 9.4 1 36 1, Whittaker 3 0 12 0.

Burnley won by 1 wicket. Enfield 5 pts, Burnley 12 pts.

Haslingden v Accrington

Accrington innings
JE Hayhurst c Ingham b Neary 4
SJ Hanson not out 68
SPS Crabtree c Knowles b Ingham 10
Ali LBW Ingham 1
GL Sneddon c Knowles b Ingham 0
GD Lloyd b Ingham 14
MB Taylor c JJ Marcroft b Ingham 0
M Wilson st JJ Marcroft b Ingham 18
AM Greenwood c Sudworth b Ingham 0
Extras 35
Total (8 wickets) 150.

Neary 4 0 17 1, Ingham 16 1 77 7, Griffin 4 0 19 0, Sudworth 8 1 27 0.

Haslingden innings
GA Knowles c Wilson b Ali 8
Hayes LBW Hayhurst 33
SJ Kershaw b Ali 6
M Imtiaz c Sneddon b Ali 13
LG Ingham b Ormerod 1
RP Marcroft b Ormerod 7
M Ahmed c Hargreaves b Hayhurst 1
M Griffin LBW Hayhurst 0
JJ Marcroft c Sneddon b Ormerod 0
G Sudworth st Wilson b Ormerod 6
JE Neary not out 3
Extras 15
Total (10 wickets) 93.

Ali 9 0 28 3, Ormerod 13.5 1 45 4, Hayhurst 6 2 15 3.

Accrington won by 57 runs. Haslingden 0 pts, Accrington 12 pts.

Lowerhouse v Ramsbottom

Ramsbottom innings
KT Webb c J Martin b Haasbroek 1
J Pilling c Russell b Bailey 2
Stewart c Walker b Finch 23
DM Bell c and b Finch 30
AW Bell c Bleazard b Finch 24
JM Fielding c Haasbroek b Bailey 2
RE Read b Finch 6
T Parton not out 5
A Hakin not out 5
Extras 15
Total (7 wickets) 113.

Bailey 13 0 39 2, Haasbroek 10 1 32 1, Finch 7 0 35 4.

Lowerhouse innings
BR Heap c Webb b Haslam 22
JA Finch b Haslam 4
J Martin c Hakin b Fielding 8
Haasbroek b Fielding 28
CJ Bleazard c Webb b Haslam 10
CR Cottam LBW Fielding 0
PTBM Martin not out 16
J Beneduce b Haslam 9
MJ Walker not out 6
Extras 11
Total (7 wickets) 114.

Fielding 15 1 61 3, Haslam 14.5 1 46 4.

Lowerhouse won by 3 wickets. Lowerhouse 10 pts, Ramsbottom 3 pts.

Rishton v Todmorden

Rishton innings
A Biswoodall b Abbas 2
S Wyse c Brown b Abbas 29
Bodi not out 72
I Muhammed c N Barker b Morgan 5
M Leathert c A Sutcliffe b Abbas 0
JT Bibby run out 28
CR Lambert run out 0
K Andrews not out 0
Extras 12
Total (6 wickets) 148.

Abbas 19 3 68 3, SR Barker 6 0 23 0, A Sutcliffe 2 0 6 0, Morgan 10 0 41 1.

Todmorden innings
SD Newbitt c Leathert b Sartaj 27
BD Sutcliffe LBW Sartaj 20
Abbas c Hutchinson b Sartaj 10
N Barker c and b Sartaj 28
A Sutcliffe st Andrews b Sartaj 16
SR Barker c and b Biswoodall 4
MJ Brierley c Hutchinson b Sartaj 10
PD Senior b Biswoodall 0
F Priestley c Andrews b Sartaj 2
DL Brown not out 14
JNH Morgan not out 2
Extras 12
Total (9 wickets) 144.

Hutchinson 8 0 41 0, G Wyse 3 1 21 0, Sartaj 16 6 49 7, Bisoodwall 10 0 34 2.

Rishton won by 4 runs. Rishton 10 pts, Todmorden 5 pts.