RAMSBOTTOM were ten overs away from winning the Holland Cup for runners up in the Lancashire League, when persistent rain drove the players off the field at 5.58pm on Sunday.

Unfortunately there was no let-up in the inclement conditions and the Acre Bottom boys had to settle for a very creditable third place in the final table.

After losing the toss the Rams were asked to take first knock on what is without doubt the most improved playing surface in the Lancashire League.

After a careful start Keith Webb and professional Kartik picked up the tempo and produced some excellent strokes, with the amateur leading the way with an array of shots all round the wicket, bringing him nine boundaries.

Just when he looked set for a collection he was yorked by the Lowerhouse professional, Benkenstein.

Frequent rain interruptions then plagued the Ramsbottom innings but all the batters knocked the ball around effectively to post a highly respectable score of 178 off their 41 allotted overs.

With rain affecting the games involving the two teams above them the Rams had two options.

To tie with first-placed Haslingden they had to win bowling the opposition all out, to take the Holland Cup they had to win the match.

If they were unable to bowl the opposition out they then had to complete 25 overs to constitute a game.

It soon became apparent that Lowerhouse were going to find it a struggle against tight bowling from Kartik and Mick Haslam and the latter struck in the seventh over of the innings having the league's leading amateur run scorer, Tripathi, lbw.

Such was the domination of the bowling that only four runs came off the first ten overs, so in an effort to take wickets Kartik, whose first five overs had been maidens, started to throw the ball up to entice the opposition into more aggressive stroke play.

This allowed the opposition to get to 28 runs off 15 overs but with a target of 126 off 25 overs a million miles away, the rains came and spoilt the Rams' chances of a grand finale.