Lowerhouse stay on track for the treble!

The West Enders beat Nelson in the min-derby at the Neville Gee Recruitment Ground by 51 runs on Sunday, and now head Ramsbottom by one point.

Facing a side containing four Bradleys - brothers Elliott,Lewis and Russell , and father Michael, Charlie Cottam’s men were on the front foot throughout. Cottam won the toss and decided to bat, and openers Jonathan Finch (30) and Jonny Whitehead (40) shared 47 for the first wicket, before the former was bowled by Toxy Hussain.

Ben Heap made only two before handing Harrison Phelan a catch at deep square leg off Hussain, but professional Cobus Pienaar (42) put on 70 with Whitehead, who was caught behind off Phelan at 121. Cottam (30) helped Pienaar move the score on to 143, before the South African was caught off Neil Thompson.

The captain followed at 167,trapped by Phelan,before Chris Bleazard was run out for two.

Joe Hawke and Ben Gorton, on his league debut, moved the scoreboard on to 227 before Gorton (22) fell to Thompson, and Paddy Martin (1) was run out as the innings closed on 255-8 - Hawke unbeaten on 59 from 47 balls.

In reply, Hawke sent back opener Tyler McGladdery for 10 and Pienaar saw off professional Ryan Canning (0) as Nelson stumbled to 41-4.

Hussain hit 32 and Russell Bradley 17, but Lowerhouse had the visitors at 77-7, and despite 69 from Richard Meade and 31 not out from Sam Halstead - sharing 76 for the eighth wicket - Nelson fell short on 204-9.

On Friday night, Lowerhouse knocked off Colne’s 166-3 - in a 16 overs match - in 10.2 overs at The Horsfield, winning by eight wickets.

Pienaar crashed 60 off just 18 balls, with seven fours and four sixes, as he put on 108 for the first wicket with Whitehead, whose 72 came off 33 balls.

Earlier sub professional Shadley van Schalkwyk hit 59 not out off 25 balls, including four fours and four sixes, while Alex White made 56 from 25 balls, with five sixes and five fours, in Colne#s 166-3.

This weekend, Lowerhouse are at Bacup on Saturday, and at Rawtenstall in the Worsley Cup semi-final on Sunday.

Burnley, meanwhile, travelled to second bottom place Colne on Sunday in the league, looking to move up the table.

Having won the toss, Burnley elected to bat at The Horsfield but were soon in trouble as they faltered to 33-5 then 39-6, as only Chris Burton held firm, with medium pacer Maz Clark taking a career-best 5-35 off 13 to leave the visitors in trouble.

A partnership of 51 with Burton and Aidan Tate (18), moving the score onto 90, a couple of quick wickets left the visitors in a perilous position of 109-8.

Youngster Ali Syed (8) stayed with Burton, who was going through the gears, and put on 56 as he scored his 50 off 79 balls, and went onto dominate the innings with a classy 111 off only 118 balls as Burnley finished on 175 all out with 12 fours and a six.

In reply, the opening bowlers had Colne on the back foot as they fell to 13-4, with Cole Hayman taking 2-19 off seven overs and Jhangir Liaqat 2-8 off seven overs. Hayman bowled quickly and dispatched the sub pro Saeed Anwar junior for a duck, caught behind by man of the match Burton.

Despite some resistance in the middle order, professional Chris Holt took 5-63 off 16 overs and skipper Bharat Tripathi 1-63 off 14 overs to bowl Colne all out for 152, despite contributions by Kurram Nazir (35), Andy Haiken (29) and David Wallbank (20 not out) to take a maximum 12 points and take Burnley off the bottom of the league.

Rawtenstall visit Turf Moor on Saturday, followed by the Worsley Cup semi-final on Sunday at Turf Moor against Nelson.