Sunshine and Showers

posted by John Winn

Yesterday I fulfilled a promise I made to myself at the beginning of the season and travelled along the A59 to see, for the first time, Lancashire League cricket. Poor weather caused the abandonment of a visit I intended to make a few weeks ago but with time running out, at least for this season, I decided that the prospects for cricket yesterday in that area were good enough for me to travel.
The top attraction was at Thorneyholme Road, the surprisingly rural home of Accrington CC. Situated on the edge of town and easily accessible from the M65 the ground was yesterday host to Accrington's first eleven match with Lowerhouse, 'second v. top'. Nearing the ground I passed through a heavy shower which delayed the start by 15 minutes. Accrington soon lost their openers and 'House' Pro, South African Francois Haasbroek went onto take seven wickets as Accrington were bowled out for 155 with veteran Graham Lloyd top scoring.Lowerhouse fell 23 short of this total but their lead at the top of the table still suggests they will be champions for only the second time in their history.
As a further shower threatened to halt play I left after an hour and headed for Burnley where the rain was torrential and on reaching the ground, which is immediately adjacent to Turf Moor, the home of Burnley FC, it was no surprise to find the covers on and large puddles on the outfield. I decided I would cut my losses, and save my £2 admission, and made the short journey to Nelson. The contrast could not have been greater, for here, at the Seedhill ground, the sun was very warm and about 30 spectators were enjoying the home team's dominance of Rishton's rather feeble batting. I enjoyed a cup of tea in the opulent clubroom where the honours' board listed the many well known professionals the club has employed over the years. At the centre was a photograph of the greatest of them all, Sir Learie Constantine, Nelson's 'pro' for many years in the 1930s. Evidence of Constantine's genius is provide by the statistic that Nelson are the only club to have won the league four years in succession, 1934-37.
With Rishton bowled out for 115, which Nelson subsequently knocked off for three wickets,I moved along the valley to neighbouring Colne. Here my timing was spot on for for the players had just finished tea in the 'award winning tearoom', and I was allowed to run amok amongst the remaining sandwiches and cakes for just £1. I note from the excellent league handbook that Colne last year surrendered the title of 'best tearoom' to Ramsbottom. On yesterday's evidence the winners in 2007, 8 and 9 are fighting to eradicate this stain on their aprons.
The match being played here was a second eleven game between Colne and Rawtenstall and I watched, along with about six others, the visitors begin their chase of Colne's 158. In the tearoom there was an photograph evocative of a different age.It was taken at a match between Colne and Nelson in 1929 when the object of the spectators' curiosity was the first appearance at 'The Horsfield' of Sir Learie.Not only is the ground full but there are no spaces on the stone wall that surrounds it.
Driving back across The Pennines the evening sun continued to shine but descending into Harrogate from Blubberhouses I met with more rain and reached home to hear from my wife that there had been a thunder storm in the locality during the afternoon. Given such capricious weather I was grateful that I had seen cricket on three new grounds and that on two of those a sun hat would not looked out of place.