Barlick on the brink of title triumph despite blank holiday weekend (From Craven Herald)

Barlick on the brink of title triumph despite blank holiday weeken

11:38pm Wednesday 29th August 2012 in Sport

Barnoldswick are due to have home matches at Victory Park against two of the league’s bottom three sides, Salesbury and Earby on Saturday and Sunday respectively.

It is a great opportunity to wrap up the title on their home ground.

Then they can focus on their attempts to win the Ramsbottom Cup final which has been re-arranged for Sunday, September 9 after being washed out for the second time on Monday.

Barnoldswick have enjoyed a fine season and if they can pull off the league and cup double it will overshadow the problems they have endured – along with all other clubs – by the wet weather this summer.

It would also mark a tremendous achievement for Matthew Nutter in his first season as captain since taking over the reins from Richard Nichols.

Nutter has handled his resources shrewdly and has taken full advantage of his bowling attack.

New overseas player Imran Khalid, who had a hard act to follow when he replaced the prolific Jaffar Nazir, has proved a worthy successor.

He has taken 80 league wickets since joining the club after one season with JCT600 Bradford League side Manningham Mills.

Khalid has been well supported by fast bowler Faisal Hussain who has claimed 49 wickets.

The batsmen haven’t been prolific, but they have been effective and come up with the runs when needed.

Abdul Saddique has been the pick of the bunch with 640 runs, while wicketkeeper Liam Bedford has 490.

With only one defeat in 23 games, Barnoldswick have proved themselves worthy league leaders and if the weather allows, the champagne corks could be popping down at Victory Park this weekend.

Settle shot up to third place in the Senior League thanks to yet another barnstorming effort from Eddy Read and the dedication of groundsman Robin Towler.

On a Bank Holiday weekend where 24 out of 26 Ribblesdale League games were abandoned, Settle repaid Robin by beating Salesbury in a match restricted to 20 overs each.

He had spent longer mopping up the ground than the total playing time, and delivered the goods to a large crowd desperate for entertainment.

Settle put the visitors in and were rewarded when Read uprooted Ian Rabag-liati’s stumps, soon followed by a catch to wicketkeeper Tiarnan Hamill to send James Watson on his way.

Salesbury’s pro Susantha Pradeep battled hard for his 44 runs but fell to his opposite number Mansoor Amjad to a catch in the deep by William Davidson.

In the meantime, Read continued to send the stumps flying some distance out of the softened ground to claim his fifth five-wicket haul of the season, with 5-31 in just ten overs.

It cemented his place as top amateur.

Younger brother Law-rence took the catch for Amjad’s second wicket and William Davidson’s run-out finally saw off Salesbury for a very beatable 83-8.

Things did not start well for the hosts, however, losing Aneeq Hassan to a controversial catch behind, but Robbie Davidson played steadily for his 26 till he was caught.

There were three overs remaining as Amjad assured victory with a perfectly paced unbeaten 40, to the delight of the Marshfield faithful.

In the meantime, groundsman Towler quietly slipped away to check his winter patch up the town at Grove Park where North Ribbles-dale play their first home game this weekend.

These are great days for the Settle club.

The first team is reaping the rewards of its youth policy and the re-signing of the hugely successful and popular Amjad is a huge boost.

To cap it all, the record-breaking second team need only one point from their last two games to gain a well-deserved promotion to Division One.