A-Z of a superb summer of Lancashire League cricket (From Lancashire Telegraph)

A-Z of a superb summer of Lancashire League cricket

2:35pm Friday 25th September 2009 in

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The 2009 Lancashire League season will be long remembered as one of the greatest in the history of the famous competition.

As the 14 teams went head-to-head, it all came down to the final weekend with Accrington pipping Haslingden to the post in the most dramatic of circumstances.

Here we take a look back at the summer of fun with an A to Z rundown of the year...

A is for agony...the pain for everyone at Haslingden will take a long time to heal as the side who appeared certainties for the title were beaten at the death in a collapse that takes the breath away.

B is for Burnley. The Turf Moor club won a 20/20 competition that descended into much confusion thanks to the weather. But Steve Brunt could still celebrate and Burnley also played in front of the biggest crowd of the year when they faced Nelson at the same time Burnley FC beat Everton.

C is for chaos. The season started amid farce as many professionals were delayed or refused entry thanks to tough new visa restrictions. The Home Office tried to turn leagues across the land into a laughing stock and they must relax the rules for 2010.

D is for derby. No league does derbies like the Lancashire League. Colne v Nelson is ferocious and any of the Rossendale clashes add extra spice to a game. Let’s hope next year that they are scheduled for holiday weekends and the weather is great so the spectacle can be played out in front of a major crowd.

E is for Enfield. The Dill Hall Lane outfit made a good charge before running out of steam - and will push hard again next year, especially if veteran Andy Barker can carry on batting.

F is for fast. Lowerhouse signed Kiwi quickie Ian Butler and his first game was against East Lancs whose pro Brendan Nash said: “He won’t bowl flat out”. Nash soon changed his mind when he got peppered by the pace ace.

G is for grounds. Todmorden, East Lancs and Ramsbottom continue to battle for the honour of nicest grounds in the league, while Rawtenstall’s new pavilion will see them challenging for the crown.

H is for Haslingden. Graham Knowles’ men were brilliant at times this season yet somehow self-combusted in the last three games to blow the title.

I is for icy. It wasn’t a bad summer weather wise but the temperature on the opening day at Accrington v Rishton was something else. Never has Bovril and pie and peas been as needed at a cricket match.

J is for joke. Rishton must have been expecting Dom Jolly to appear as their professional problems were beyond a joke. Aaron Heal got hurt and went home just before suffering the humiliation of the Ashes, while replacement Mark Cosgrove played two games and returned to South Australia only to turn up at Glamorgan for the latter stages of the county season. Bizarre.

K is for Killers. Bacup skipper Peter Killelea has now retired from playing and will be sadly missed. A top competitor, Killers bowed out on a high with a last-day win over East Lancs. He has promised to sit with the Bacup crew in the future so expect some barracking.

L is for Lloyd. You couldn’t write the script as David Lloyd, 62, scored the title-winning runs for Accrington at Lowerhouse in an unbelievable finish to the season.

M is for meat pies. The pastry pleasures at Todmorden really are second to none.

N is for Nelson. Khurram Nazir’s men were charging towards the top of the table until professional Robin Peterson was called home. That young side has plenty to come and could go close next year - and at least they claimed the Junior League and Lancashire Telegraph Cup double as some reward.

O is for out. Jon Henderson has raised the finger on his time as Todmorden skipper. Hopefully Henderson will carry on playing, he is a top player and the league needs the likes of him.

P is for planning. Mark Bolton worked out a masterstroke when he declared that his side had blown their chances. His players were obviously stung and went on a 10-match winning run and were still in with a chance of the title going into September.

Q is for queue. The crowd for the Worsley Cup final had to be seen to be believed as the clock was turned back to the days when grounds were full. And not a single person had anything to complain about as Ramsbottom staged a great spectacle.

R is for Rawtenstall and Roscoe. Rawtenstall were struggling so called their veteran spinner Keith Roscoe out of retirement and he immediately claimed the player of the month award. Skipper Vinny Hanson is set to spend the summer trying to convince the veteran that he is only 20-odd and can play of for another 30 years.

S is for sledging. The sledging in the Lancashire League is generally good natured but can still backfire. “He must be in for his batting lads because if he is a keeper, I’ll eat my shoes” was a belter from a Rawtenstall man against East Lancs’ David Pearson. Pearson then made a match-winning 70-odd not out.

T is for time. Like every English summer, players and spectators wasted too much time waiting for the rain to stop despite fewer games being lost over the course of the season.

U is for umpires. As always, there have been some odd decisions but the players have acted with respect and there have been very few confrontations with the men in white coats.

V is for vicious. The bowling of Colne’s Anwar Ali has been quite stunning. He is quick and swings it and many batsmen have suffered at his hands. He is back next year and if it is hot and dry, he will be fun.

W is for Worsley Cup. The cup was claimed by Ramsbottom in a thrilling final as they beat Todmorden. A quite brilliant display from a good side.

X is for X-rated. The language that must have been used in the Haslingden dressing room after their final day defeat against Todmorden.

Y is for yellow. The colour worn by Ramsbottom’s fans as they travel round the grounds supporting their team. They are certainly different.

Z is for Zzzzzzzzz. It’s been a long season and now is the time to catch up on some sleep for everyone involved.