TO defend the kind of totals Rishton - among others - keep leaving themselves, some skids, a ramp and a boulder might come in handy.

Positioning the ramp at the other end of the wicket to the opposing batsman, the skids could be removed every few minutes to set the boulder in motion.

Strategy from here would be easy - all 11 men behind the boulder, for the captain would have little need to set a field.

Flattened pancakes, or batsmen, are not renowned for scoring many runs.

Nor, at this moment, is the top order of the defending Lancashire League champions who are showing all the characteristics associated with suicide bombers who have mislaid their bomb.

On Saturday they slumped to 46-6 before the tailenders steadied the ship and set a course for 161.

Yesterday against Burnley at Blackburn Road they dropped two wickets before getting a run on the board and after 22 overs were wavering at 45-4.

No wonder Stuart Roberts suggested, totally sincerely, in the Rishton dressing room: "Let me open the batting, I can score nought."

Afterwards, Rishton captain John Wharton was at a loss to explain his side's failure with the bat.

"We've got to get off to a better start in games," he agreed.

"If you get a few low scores it doesn't do your confidence any good.

"I think as well, though, we're not getting the crucial wickets - we're a little weak in the bowling.

"We're just lacking a bit of variety. Hopefully, John Seedle (who has an injured shoulder) will be able to bowl next week to give us more options." Of course, Burnley's commitment to inflicting a defeat on the reigning champions further narrowed Rishton's options.

Whipping boys for the last few seasons, there will have been great satisfaction gleaned from effecting such a change in fortunes.

Kamran Farrooq's three wickets and general threat were crucial as were the two each taken by David Connolly and Saeed.

But the belligerent performance of Dale Benkenstein with the bat, top scoring by far with 70 on a slow wicket that was receptive to a bit of a seam and made playing fluent shots difficult, proved the match winner.

Burnley put Rishton on the rack and they didn't let up.

"We played a bit better than yesterday, Saturday we didn't get going at all," said a happy Burnley captain Peter Brown.

"We got off to a good start and never let them off the hook.

"One or two players are a lot more experienced now.

"Phil Edmondson, who's 22-years-old, is back after missing most of last season with a knee injury.

"Kamran Farooq who opened the bowling is only 19.

"Off-spinner David Connolly is 21 and Michael (Brown) is just 17. So they're all gaining valuable experience and beginning to come into their own. The only problem at the moment is wicketkeeper Andrew McLeod who has a knee problem and has had to have an operation.

"He had a run-out with the seconds this weekend, but he won't be back for another three weeks anyway.

"We needed the win against Rishton.

"We had a good result against Haslingden in the opening week, but last weekend was a bit of a disaster.

"We needed to get back on course and hopefully this is the start."

From the start of Burnley's innings their victory looked inevitable and Tush Mahambrey, in swashbuckling fashion, swotted away for four runs the final ball of the day.

He might not have dispatched a boulder so handily.

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