RISHTON professional James Franklin did his country proud and if New Zealand continue to chalk up the casualties they may be tempted to look again to the Musbury Fabrics Lancashire League for further reinforcements in the shape of Tama Canning.

Canning has played one-day cricket for his country before and his performance against Rishton yesterday showed that the Auckland all-rounder is on top of his game.

Franklin sent his club side a good luck message from the Kiwis' Test camp at Trent Bridge, but it did little to help as Canning blasted an unbeaten 122 off just 99 balls to cement his place at the head of the league's run-scoring charts.

And despite a sore toe he injured playing as a substitute professional for Little Lever on Saturday, he then took four wickets and two catches as Rishton fell 32 runs short despite a remarkable 103-run stand for the ninth wicket between Matthew Leathert and Scott Greaves.

"These are the days you dream about," Canning admitted. "And as an all-rounder it's nice to do well with bat and ball."

Shelled-shocked New Zealand are now preparing for the NatWest series with England and the West Indies and Canning is not trying to second-guess the selectors' thoughts.

He's also not planning to sit by the phone, but is doing everything he possible to catch their eye should a depleted squad suffer from any more withdrawals.

"You never know what's going to happen and I just want to keep doing what I've been doing and try and get some runs and take wickets," Canning added.

Rishton called in Ian Austin to deputise for Franklin but even the former Lancashire and England all-rounder didn't escape some of the punishment from Canning as he chalked up his second century of a productive summer.

Two of Canning's four sixes went out of the ground, while he also rattled up 13 fours in an innings that can't have been bettered many times despite the list of luminaries who have lit up the Blackburn Road ground down the years.

Half-century partnerships with Matt Wilson and Stuart Crabtree helped Accrington reach 230-8 and those hoping to catch the start of the football looked to have time on their hands as Rishton slumped to 88-8 for in reply.

A farcical run-out from the first ball of the innings set the tone for an initially dismal effort from the home side as wickets tumbled around Austin.

The substitute professional hit his first ball for four and made a highly entertaining 44 from 42 balls, with seven boundaries, before he went at 58-6, caught by former Accrington skipper Steve Juliff who was fielding as a substitute for wicket-keeper Adam Barnes after he stopped a James Hayhurst delivery with his eye.

But with Accrington then taking their foot off the gas and rotating their bowlers, Rishton launched a remarkable fightback as Leather and captain Greaves went berserk.

The back-up bowlers were hit to all parts and even when Canning returned he went for 16 off the 37th over as a couple of skied chances went to ground.

Leathert passed 50 off 53 balls with nine fours and a six, while Greaves' remarkable half-century took just 27 balls as he hammered two sixes and seven fours in a sensational effort.

The pair got the target down to 40 before the returning Hayhurst finally restored calm and secured a welcome maximum-points victory for the visitors, who have faded after a bright start to the season, by bowling Greaves and then Leathert with full-pitched deliveries.

"We tried to get the extra bowlers on and have a bit of fun. We always we knew we could step it up, but it did get a bit close," said Canning.

"It was good to get back to winning ways and we've got to try and get up to the teams in mid-table. We didn't want there to be too big a gap."