Standard has gone up, admits Burnley’s Bharat

That’s because the former quadruple-winning skipper, who beat Trevor Jones’ 30-year-old post war bowling record at Turf Moor when taking 76 wickets a decade ago, feels the standard has gone up another notch.

The 29-year-old, who went on to skipper the club to four successive Worsley Cup titles, couldn’t prevent his side from being usurped at the top of the table by opponents Ramsbottom on Sunday.

Tripathi finished the innings unbeaten on 13 as Burnley chased the home side’s 200-run total, but they lost out by 73 runs against the new leaders.

With Burnley suffering a second defeat of the campaign, slipping to third in the standings in the process, he said: “The standard of this league is unbelievable. It’s really tough and that’s already shown in the results.

“It’s going to be really difficult and I think points will be dropped all over the place. Nobody will run away with it so every game will be massive.

“Clubs have recruited well and the standard has definitely improved and there’s so much more pressure on each game.

“I was involved in a side that went the majority of the season unbeaten, Lowerhouse have done it and Walsden did it last year. That won’t happen again.

“There’s a long way to go but whoever wins it might lose five or six games this year. It’s definitely the best thing that could have happened for the league. The Lancashire League is in a really strong position at the moment.”

Burnley are at Accrington in the second round of the Worsley Cup on Saturday. Then, on Sunday, they entertain Lowerhouse in the derby.