WHEN maths teacher Chris Bleazard returns to the classroom tomorrow he can only have three figures in his mind after posting a magnificent century to seal Lowerhouse's first Switch-to-Switch Worsley Cup triumph at an emotion-charged Liverpool Road last night.

Bleazard hit a ton as Lowerhouse re-wrote the record books in their semi-final success over Enfield, but then topped even that as he and Charlie Cottam masterminded a thrilling six-wicket win over Haslingden.

Despite scoring over 10,000 runs in a 21-year first-team career, Bleazard had never scored a hundred on his home ground before this summer.

Now his place in the club's history is assured after the 37-year-old lifted Alan Howarth back over his head to claim the winning runs and take his own score to 101 as the hosts, playing in only their second final, romped home with more than three overs to spare.

Chasing Haslingden's total of 231 - in which Barry Knowles hit a superb 88 before being run-out backing up in a pivotal moment of the game - Lowerhouse might have panicked when professional Peter Fulton went with the score at 70-3.

But once again Bleazard and Charlie Cottam came together in a match-winning partnership which thrilled a near 2,500 crowd, which only once blotted its copybook when a scuffle broke out between rival supporters which required the intervention of a number of Haslingden players.

The long-serving duo never gave a chance as they put together a 152-run stand, which took Lowerhouse to within 10 runs of their first ever trophy success.

Without taking chances they never allowed the required run-rate to escalate much beyond six an over as they drove and swept their way to a position of control.

Rarely can Haslingden's substitute professional Asif Mujtaba have been able to exert so little influence on a game as even he failed to trouble the Lowerhouse pair who barely missed out whenever the ball was over-pitched.

Bleazard went to his half-century in 86 balls with four fours and even a break for rain did little to slow the charge as Cottam, playing the innings of his life, caught up with his partner as he passed 50 in just 60 delivers with seven fours.

Haslingden captain Paul Blackledge rotated his bowlers as he chased the wicket which may have turned the tide and also queried the fading light as his some of his boundary fielders failed to pick up the ball as the run-chase gathered pace.

However, the momentum was firmly with the home side as they reached 200 by taking 16 off Mike Ingham in the 44th over and then milked Mujtaba for a further 10 in his final over.

Steve Dearden finally ended the partnership when he had Cottam caught at deep point for 82, made from 90 balls with 11 fours, but when Bleazard steered the Haslingden all-rounder for six down to the third-man in the same over the game was almost up.

Dearden had been a key figure for Haslingden as he earlier made 76 and shared in a 91-run partnership with Knowles once Lowerhouse had claimed the prize wickets of Mujtaba and Mike Ingham.

Knowles faced just 90 balls and hit 11 fours and looked set for a memorable 100 of his own until a Dearden drive was deflected onto the stumps by Ben Heap to run-out the Haslingden opener.

Consolation for Knowles came in the shape of a £330 collection but with 16-year-old Heap collecting a couple of wickets, Haslingden lost their middle order and their momentum.

Dearden steadied the ship with 76 from 81 balls with four fours and two sixes, but despite an unbeaten 28 from Lewis McIntosh a total of 231 had left the door open for Lowerhouse.

Jonathan Finch and Vishal Tripathi went early and Fulton, whose call-up to the New Zealand OEA' side will curtail his English season, holed out for 26.

But rather than trigger a collapse that merely paved the way for Bleazard who 11 fours, one six and 119 balls later was being carried off as Lowerhouse's hero.

CUP KINGS: Lowerhouse celebrate their first trophy in the club's 142-year history

Pictures: HELEN BROWN

AWARD: Sports Editor Paul Plunkett presents the Lancashire Evening Telegraph Man of the Match trophy to Chris Bleazard

HASLINGDEN

M Ingham c Beneduce b Fulton... 2

B Knowles run out... 88

Mujtaba c Cottam b J Hope... 10

S Dearden c J Hope b Fulton...76

P Blackledge c Fulton b Heap... 6

S Catterall b Benbow... 0

A Smith b Heap...1

J Simpson b M Hope... 6

L McIntosh not out... 28

A Howarth c Cottamb Fulton... 0

M Blomley run out... 0

Extras... 14

Total ... 231

Bowling: S Riaz 3-0-21-0; Fulton 6.2-2-24-3; M Hope 9-0-47-1; J Hope 10-0-47-1; J Finch 4-0-30-0; C Benbow 10-0-37-1; B Heap 6-2-17-2.

LOWERHOUSE

J Finch c and b Dearden... 4

V Tripathi c Blackledge b Blomley... 3

Fulton c Blackledge b Howarth... 26

C Bleazard not out... 101

C Cottam c Catterall b Dearden... 82

B Heap not out... 1

Extras... 18

Total (4 wickets)... 235

Bowling: S Dearden 8-1-39-2; M Blomley 10-2-32-1; Mujtaba 10-1-40-0; A Howarth 6.2-0-45-1; S Catterall 10-1-39-0; M Ingham 2-0-22-0.

Lowerhouse won by 6 wickets