ANOTHER poor batting display saw Ramsbottom fall further down the Lancashire League and their supporters are desperately looking for some confidence-boosting victories with the Worlsley Cup final only three weeks away.
Once again professional Clarke and opener Nick Riley gave the Acre Bottom side an excellent start posting 47 on the board before Riley was well held at slip.
When Clarke fell in a similar fashion with the score on 59 it was a signal for the Rams to go into freefall, albeit against some good tight bowling.
Only David Bell, with an excellent 28 and, near the death, Keith Webb with 12 not out, offered any resistance and a score of 118 on Rawtenstall's postage stamp ground was never going to be enough.
Still, one could have expected a better show by the Ramsbottom bowlers than the one they put up, allowing Rawtenstall's South African professional Andrew Hall to smash his way to 67 off 61 balls in a 103 run opening stand with Carter before being caught off his opposite number Clarke's bowling.
Rawtenstall won the game in the 25th over thus inflicting two humiliating defeats over their near neighbours in just over a week.
ON a brighter note Ramsbottom's second XI, lying in second place in the table, gained an excellent 13 run victory over third placed Rawtenstall II.
Next Saturday they face top of the table Burnley at Acre Bottom in a match which could prove to be the championship decider.
RAMSBOTTOM II 150 all out (J. Marcroft 48, A. Bell 25). RAWTENSTALL II 137 all out (B. Horrocks, 3-12).
RAWTENSTALL v RAMSBOTTOM
RAMSBOTTOM
M. Clarke c Hall b Payne...36
N. Riley c Hall b Dawson...20
S. Woods lbw Payne...5
J. Harrison lbw Payne...9
S. Read lbw Payne...0
D. Bell c Payne b Roscoe...28
L. Daggett c P. Hanson b Hall...4
M. Price b Roscoe...0
K. Webb not out...12
R. Hevingham c P. Hanson b Hall...0
C. Eardley b Hall...2
Extras...2
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Total 118
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46.2 overs
A. Hall 10.2-4-31-3; P. Seal 6-0-19-0; J. Dawson 8-0-21-1; A. Payne 13-5-25-4; K. Roscoe 9-1-22-2.
RAWTENSTALL
J. Carter not out...32
A. Hall c Riley b Clarke...67
A. Payne not out...11
Extras10
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Total (for 1) 120
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24.1 overs
L. Daggett 6-1-37-0; C. Eardley 5-1-23-0; M. Clarke 7-0-19-1; S. Read 5-1-34-0; M. Price 1.1-1-4-0.
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