Nelson’s double header weekend against Haslingden, which included the Worsley Cup semi-final, was badly affected by the rain.
Saturday’s league game was delayed until 1-50pm when a 43-over match began. Haslingden won the toss and immediately had the upper hand by putting Nelson in to bat. Despite frequent stoppages for rain, Nelson pushed the score along at a healthy rate. The match soon became a 39 over affair, then a 35 and eventually a 31.
Tyler McGladdery opened his shoulders after the first interruption for rain and hit 4 fours in a sparkling 27. Chris Heap did well too, making 30 before becoming the first of three stumpings for Alex Marcroft. Ryan Canning was back on form with a solid innings and hit seven fours and a six in a valuable 60.
With the overs running out, several batsmen sacrificed their wickets in the quest for runs, none more so than Neil Thompson who scampered vainly to a broken wicket when he found Canning at the same end as himself.
Sean Lemon made a competent 15 not out, in helping to set a decent target of 158 and prospects improved even more in Richard Meade’s second over. First of all, he had the Haslingden skipper, Graham Knowles, caught at slip by Neil Thompson for two and then bowled professional Brenton Parchment with his next ball. It was an ideal delivery, perfectly pitched on a length, and Parchment, in trying to leave it, got an inside edge and dragged the ball into his wickets. Max Howells then bowled Matt Griffin for a duck and Haslingden were 6-3.
Another break for rain meant the target was revised to 147 from 28 overs and former professional, Phil Hayes, began to make inroads along with Jack Taylor. In fact, it was Taylor who became the biggest threat – easily outscoring his partner. Taylor was out for 32, however, to a stupendous catch by Canning.
Muneeb Ahmed put together 25 runs very quickly and, aided by another batch of wides, the target was looking distinctly possible. With six overs remaining, though, and the score on 110 for 4, Hayes was run out for 36 and Haslingden then collapsed. The last six wickets fell for 25 runs and Adil Ali bowled Jack Sudworth with the second ball of the final over to finish with 3-13.
Nelson had bounced back from the debacle of the previous week to defeat a high-riding Haslingden side.
The weather was even worse on Sunday and the Worsley Cup semi-final was called off early with an agreement to return to Benthead next Saturday. They host Todmorden in the league on Sunday.