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LOCALS STAYIN POLE


posmoN -PAGE 70


m Thursday, August 10th, 2006 with your sports team of Edward Lee, Chris Boden, Phi Naeem Ashraf By Adrian Capstick


CENTURION Naeem Ashraf inspired Clitherpe to their first Ramsbottom Cup final victory in 13 years on Monday night, and sealed the second leg of the Chatbum Road side’s treble bid. An- undefeated 122 from the


Centurion inspires Clitheroe’s cup win


rain the night before in order to see the game out, but were forced to call it a day before the game reached farcical conditions. Both Peter Dibb (11) and


tion as a dry, fresh start made the perfect conditions for a revi­ talised Ashraf to serve up a crash course of batting. Turner was also in on the


all-rounder saw the league lead­ ers to a four-wicket win over Great Harwood at Baxenden upon resumption of play, follow­ ing late rain on Sunday. I t was a knock that included


Mark Hargreaves (15) had been victims of the wet conditions before Coulter came to the crease, and three times Clitheroe were offered the chance to cease the game as the conditions pro­ gressively worsened. But once it reached the extent


11 fours and seven sixes, but had looked less than likely the night before! Rain had drawn Sunday’s play to a premature end, to reconvene


for the final 10 overs. The locals had 270 to beat,


after an innings dominated by Cliffe Park professional Cyan Pandey (72) and captain Allan Armer (63). Clitheroe had-five wickets down with Ashraf and Simon Coulter at the crease. The pair had valiantly attempted to play through heavy


Bolton had him caught behind for 43. Whalley came in to fill the


smashing act, as it was his six over extra cover off Russ Whalley in the 43rd that broke the hack of the game, leaving Clitheroe need­ ing less than a run a ball for -vic­ tory, which the pair managed with nearly two overs to spare. However, the day before had


that wicket keeper Armer could­ n't see the ball any more, and the outfield had become dangerous, both teams agreed to return a day later. The score was left at 189, and


innings by Bolton at point, off the bowling of Glover. In reply, everyone thought


void and after being dropped by professional Shahid Nawaz at slip to what was a difficult catch, he helped move the score to 161, before Pandey was taken out by a great catch by Danny Glover at long off, having accrued 13 boundaries and a six. And once Clitheroe had found


looked as though the game was slipping away from the locals. Great Harwood had offered up


Ashraf and Coulter needed to return 8.2 an over for victory. However, there was an early


a hefty score to beat, having been put in to bat by Clitheroe captain Neil Bolton, comtesy of some huge knocks by Pandey, Armer and Whalley (44). Clitheroe had been slow to


setback when Coulter was bowled by Pandey with the score at 193-6, but 18-year-old Danny Turner proved more than equal to the tok, just as he had done in the quarter-final against Whalley. In the end, the Clitheroe bats­ men didn't need their full alloca­


Tom’s £500 charity run


A RUNNER from Clitheroe has raised more than £500 for Macmillan Cancer Support by completing the Edinburgh Marathon. Tom Wilkins (30), of Stamford Place,


joined more than 270 Team Macmillan runners to take on the challenge around the historic city, completing the course in five hours and four minutes despite hurt­ ing his ankle at the 10th mile. Tom said: “It was an incredible expe­


rience, being cheered along and crossing the finish line. Team Macmillan were a fantastic support all the way. Kno-wing that all the money I raised will help peo-


'ple affected by cancer really spurred me on, so I would like to thank everyone who has sponsored me and supported me and particularly my girlfriend, Tracy Walms- ley, who has been brilliant.” This was Tom’s first marathon and he is already talking about his next chal­


lenge. “I’m itching to get back training and


have set my sights on a triathlon in Sep­ tember. I ’d also love to do another marathon one day, perhaps London or even Las Vegas through the desert!” Heather Frankland (31), of Hayhurst


I


street, Clitheroe, who is head of PE and BTEC co-ordinator a t Bispham High School, also took part in the Edinburgh Marathon, completing the race in three hours and 57 minutes. Heather, who had never competed in a


marathon before, was recorded a position of the 364th female to cross the line and the 1,220th runner overall out of the 12,000, who took part. “I t was a fantastic day and I had a


great support team in my partner Graeme Windle and my mum Avril Frankland.” Her next challenge will be the Great


North Run in October, which she coni- peted in last year and for which she is raising funds for a charity that supports children with leukaemia. Our picture shows Tom heading towards the start line, (s)


m


Clitheroe's success would lie with Nawaz, scorer of six centimes in recent weeks and usually the bat­ ting rock of the side. Only this time it wasn't to be


their feet, wickets continued to fall as Farook Butt instantly answered the heckles of the Great Harwood support with the wicket of Whalley, clean bowling him for 44 in the 39th over. Josh Marquet then got in on


reap that all-important first wicket, allowing openers Mohsin Ahmed and Pandey nearly 30 overs to establish a healthy score for the first -wicket. Eventually Ahmed was the


as, in a rare failure, he was caught second ball of the innings, out for a duck without a single run on the board - which makes Clitheroe's achievement even greater as the paid man didn't bowl either. So it was left for fellow opener


the act, despite having cut his leg in an altercation with the bound­ ary step earlier, bowling Paul Houldsworth for four. And he followed that with a


first to fall, having helped Pandey to his half-century and taken the tally to 115, before


second as he dispensed Matthew Howarth leg before for a duck. Armer (63) proved trouble­


some, though, and went on to score a nm-a-ball 50, but he did­ n't escape completely, as he was caught with the final ball of the


his half-century coming off 55 balls and featuring eight fours and a six, and his partnership with Glover put on 79 for the sec­ ond wicket before he was bowled by Paul Newton. Glover went on to make 20,


Bolton to get the ball rolling. The captain scored 55 in all,


and but for a calamitous run out involving much confusion with Ashraf, he would have enjoyed a longer stay at the crease. Dibb stepped in and the rain started to materialise.


Blues, Stanley and Rovers at Shawbridge


SHAWBRIDGE is gearing up for what looks set to be a bumper season of football for Clitheroe, Blackburn Rovers and Accrington Stanley alike. While the Blues open their


UniBond League campaign next Saturday at Kidsgrove Athletic, Rovers Ladies, including sum­ mer signing, England interna­ tional Amanda Barr, kick-off their campaign against reigning FA Women’s Premier League champions Arsenal next Sunday. But a first glimpse of the side


is in store for all those who ven­ ture down to Shawbridge tonight for the team's pre-season friendly and official ground launch against Tranmere Rovers. Kick-off is at 7-30 p.m., and


admission is £3 for adults and £2 for concessions, as it will be for the Arsenal game and all subsequent fixtures after that. Then on Saturday morning,


Accrington Stanley Under 19s will be using the Clitheroe


ground for the first of their Northern Alliance League games against Chester City. The academy side is set to


play eight or nine home fixtures this season, all of which, bar Saturday's opening game, will be played a t Shawbridge when Clitheroe FC's first team are away from home. The Under 19s kick-off at 10-


30 a.m. on Saturday, allowing plenty of time before Clitheroe undertake their final pre-season friendly a t home to Witton Albion (kick-off 3 p.m.). The Blues narrowly lost their


last outing on Saturday 2-1 to UniBond Premier Division side Prescot Cables, after giving a good account of themselves. Firs t team manager Mark


Smitheringale returns from his two-week break away to take charge, and along with assistant manager Chris Stammers, the pair will be looking to name the side they plan to start the season at Kidsgrove.


pai


WILL SETS NEW


RECORO -PAGE 71


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4 -


Danny Turner


though, caught by Houldsworth at point, making way for Harg­ reaves, who moved up the order as he was going on holiday to Spain the next day. And when his stay came to an


He lasted but three overs


end in the 34th over, bowled by Pandey, Coulter took his turn to tread the sodden sawdust until all parties agreed to call it a day. Captain Bolton couldn’t bear


to watch Monday's conclusion, but he knew that if his side could muster one big hitter, the small Baxenden pitch would offer up a big reply. He said after the game: "We


didn't bowl particularly well, but I knew that if someone could hit the ball big it would be an impos­ sible task to field against. "Naeem did just that as he


was refreshed from the start, and 18-year-old Danny Turner was a big bonus, ivith credit also going to the Baxenden ground staff who did a terrific job in tending to the pitch. It was a fantastic night and we celebrated long afterwards - now for the treble!"


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