League action at the weekend began on Saturday with the table-topping third team’s game at Colne that unfortunately had to be abandoned because of our old friend the rain.
Colne won the toss and elected to bat putting on 165 for 7 from their 40 overs.
Matthew Gilmore took 3 for 26 from six overs to head the bowling plaudits while there were two wickets apiece for both Adam Clarke and Luca Addleton.
The Greenmount reply stood at 17 for 0 from 9.1 overs before the heavens opened and play was called to a halt.
On Sunday at the Log Cabin the first team – looking to keep the pressure on the teams above them – warmed up for their Bank Holiday T20 final appearance with a commanding ten-wicket triumph over Bacup in a game that was reduced to 38 overs.
Skipper Travis Townsend won the toss, decided to field and put in a masterly bowling display that yielded him six wickets for only 28 runs as the visitors were despatched to 107 all out.
After their first opener departed with the score on six, Bacup moved their total on to 61 before losing their second wicket. But from then on it was a steady procession back to the Cabin.
Callum Hunter helped himself to two victims with Evan Williams and Jack Thomond picking up one apiece.
In reply Bacup found Mount professional Jacques Snyman in terrific form once again and his unbeaten 83 saw him sail past the 1,000 Lancashire League runs for the season mark.
Jacques was aided and abetted by Evan Williams (21 not out) who reached the 500 runs for the season milestone during his innings.
Bacup were put out of their misery in the fifteenth over.
The result leaves the Mount in fourth place in the table, thirteen points behind the promotion places with two games to go.
Meanwhile, the second eleven’s miserable season continued with a six-wicket defeat at Todmorden.
Stand-in skipper Nigel Franklin won the toss and elected to bat but his luck disappeared from then on as he was adjudged to be LBW for a first ball duck.
Tom Clarke’s 29 was the highlight of the Mount innings and they struggled to 102 all out with only Ed Dickinson (12) and Paul Manley (13) joining Tom in double figures.
Kai Abbas hit an unbeaten 71 in the Todmorden reply as they eased home at 106 for 4 in the eighteenth over.
The victory earned the Yorkshire side promotion to the Lancashire League Second Eleven Division One.
Another team who were looking to secure promotion at the weekend were Greenmount’s third eleven but things didn’t go quite as planned for Mark Crowther’s side on Bank Holiday Monday.
Seeking the win that would assure them elevation to Division Two, from a strong position the thirds contrived to tie their game against Lowerhouse fourths at the Log Cabin.
After being put into bat, Lowerhouse scored 157 for 4 from their 40 overs with Noah Birtwistle taking two wickets and Ben Clarke and Ewan Malone one each.
At 139 for six with more than eight overs remaining it looked a good bet that promotion could have been clinched there and then, but despite skipper Crowther carrying his bat for an unbeaten 50, a calamitous end to the Mount innings resulted in them failing to overhaul the visitors’ total – albeit a single run would have done it.
Hopefully, promotion will now have to wait until next Saturday when the thirds travel to Accrington (12.30pm).