FURIOUS Ramsbottom professional Daryn Smit has called for the Lancashire League to re-think their adjusted rain target, labelling it ‘outdated.’

Rammy lost their unbeaten record last week when Accrington prevailed in a weather-hit match.

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The defeat means leaders Ramsbottom no longer have the title in their own hands, with second-placed Burnley four points adrift and having a game in hand.

And an angry Smit wants the league to make changes.

“If we were going to lose our unbeaten record then I guess that was the way we were going to do it,” Smit said of last Sunday’s loss.

“We lost it to an outdated formula. It is very outdated and needs looking at. Sometimes the committee members are stuck in their ways a bit and a bit reluctant to change things.

“We are not the only team to suffer with it. I think Burnley 2s lost to Haslingden 2s when they were never going to lose the game.

“We can’t control it and there is no point crying over spilt milk but it is very disappointing.”

Accrington were bowled out for 105 in 48 overs on Sunday before Ramsbottom closed on 84-5 from 40 overs - six runs shy of their adjusted target.

And Smit believes his side - who have seen nine of their 22 games end in a no result this year - would have comfortably won the match in dry conditions.

“We needed 22 runs in 10 overs with two lads in close to a 50 partnership and we lost the game,” he added. “I don’t think I have seen any team lose a game from that position.”

Smit also wants the final decision on whether a game is played to rest with the umpires after title rivals Burnley managed to complete and win a game with Accrington on Saturday while Ramsbottom’s clash with Todmorden was rained off.

The South African added: “I believe the umpires decided that the wicket was not fit to play on at Burnley on Saturday, but the two captains wanted to play so the game went ahead.

“That decision should be left to the umpires because it throws up too many inconsistencies. A captain might want to play one week when it suits him and then not the other.

“But it is not something we can affect at the moment so we will have to make sure we go out and win our last four games.”

Ramsbottom remain top of the table but their lead over Burnley is down to four points and the Turf Moor men have a game in hand.

But Smit insists the Rammy squad are now more determined than ever to ensure they finish with four straight wins and do all they can to claim a first league title since 2010.

He added: “In a way we wanted to go through the league season unbeaten so that if we did that and still didn’t win the league it would give us some ammunition to go to the league and say to them that they need to look at the match conditions because you shouldn’t be able to go through a season unbeaten and not win the title.

“We have got some difficult fixtures left but I think last weekend has made the lads more determined to win those games and just do what we can.

“Burnley have got some tricky fixtures, they’ve got Lowerhouse and Nelson and Haslingden still to play so there is a lot of cricket left yet.”

The Lancashire League declined to comment when approached by the Lancashire Telegraph.