Greenmount’s first eleven are hoping to take plenty of travelling support for their crucial final game of the season at Enfield on Sunday (WP 12.30pm).

Victory will see them promoted to the Lancashire League Division One for the 2022 campaign and cricket chairman Andy Skinner would like as many of the club’s supporters as possible to make the trip and get behind the lads.

“Ideally, we would have won at home on Sunday against Littleborough but that game has gone now and we must be totally focused on Enfield,” he said.

“Whatever happens we have enjoyed a good first season in the Lancashire League but it would put the icing on the cake to get promotion at the first time of asking.

“At this point in time, we’d like to really thank all our spectators, home and away, for their support throughout the summer. It really does make a difference and I know the lads on the field think the same.”

Enfield’s ground is just north of Accrington town centre on Dill Hall Lane. The postcode for satnav users is BB5 4DQ and the location of the ground can also be found on THIS link.

Greenmount’s first eleven slumped to their first defeat in ten games on Sunday and, in doing so, missed out on securing promotion to Lancashire League Division One – if only for a week!

Taking on a good Littleborough side at a packed Log Cabin, skipper Ryan Senior won the toss and in blazing late summer sunshine, sensibly elected to bat.

It looked the correct decision as the Mount found professional Chesney Hughes in superb form as he hit sixteen fours and three sixes in a superb innings of 133.

As they made steady progress – with Jack Harrison hitting 33 and Tom Heaton 34 – it looked a strong possibility that they would reach a total of more than 300, and even though they fell short at 283 for 9 it was still going to take an exceptional reply to surpass that total.

Frustratingly, that’s just what they received from the Hare Hill side with Aussie Clinton Perren – who had played 84 first class games for Queensland – in terrific form blasting an unbeaten 124 (ten fours and three sixes) and who put on a superb second-wicket partnership of 160 with his son Zac who scored 79.

Not even the early dismissal of pro and former Greenmount paid man Travis Townsend for a duck was allowed to stem the visitors march to victory.

Useful contributions from Ryan Miskella (34) and Matt Hernon (27 not out) complemented Perren’s match-winning knock and in a superbly-paced innings they passed the villagers’ total in the final over to secure a six-wicket victory and a complete a double over the Mount.

Hughes added three wickets to his ton and there was a wicket apiece for Evan Williams and Callum Hunter.

So, for Greenmount, the final outcome of the promotion chase will be concluded at Enfield next Sunday (September 12), when, once again, a victory will see them over the line. However, their opponents have an outside chance of promotion themselves and will provide another stern challenge.

While the firsts were going down to a six-wicket defeat the second eleven won by the same margin against their Littleborough counterparts.

Chosing to bat first, the home side ran up a total of 168 for 8 from their 45 overs with Matt Senior (3 for 36) taking the bowling plaudits while there was a wicket apiece for Tom Nuttall, Sam Woolley, Ryan Edge and Henry Dickinson.

Greenmount’s winning reply owed a lot to Edge who continued his late summer runfest and last weekend’s ton by hitting 71. There were also good contributions from Jake Chadwick (29) and an unbeaten 25 from Chris Sherrington as Boro’s total was reached inside the 43rd over for the loss of four wickets.

On Saturday it was the turn of the third team to hold centre stage at the Log Cabin when they enjoyed a 156-run triumph over Norden thirds.

The Mount scored 247 for 7 from their 40 overs thanks to a fine knock of 64 (retired not out) from the evergreen Dave Mason with other notable contributions from Leigh Dickinson (46), Sam Woolley (35), Dave Senior (29 not out) and Richard Birtwistle (23).

Despite batting into the 39th over, Norden were never seriously going to threaten the home total and they eventually succumbed to 91 all out.

Matt Senior led the way with the ball taking 4 for 13 while there were two wickets apiece for Edward Dickinson and Sam Woolley and one each for Leigh Dickinson and Matthew Gilmore.

What will hopefully be a big weekend for Greenmount begins with Junior Practice at the Log Cabin on Friday evening (3rd September).

On Saturday the third team provide the entrée for home supporters when they take on Norden’s third eleven. WP 12.30pm.

Twenty-four hours later all eyes will be on the first team as they go in search of a home victory that could secure them promotion to Lancashire League Division One at their first attempt.

Ryan Senior’s side have only two games remaining with a trip to Enfield on Sunday week closing the fixtures for the season.

However, standing in their way this weekend will be a good Littleborough side that put them to the sword at Hare Hill earlier in the campaign.

Former Mount paid man Travis Townsend is the visitors’ professional and the South African, who was at the Log Cabin in 2015 and 2016, will be endeavouring to end a nine-game winning run that has catapulted the villagers to the top of the table. WP 12.30pm.

The club’s second string make the reverse trip to Littleborough on Sunday. WP 12.30pm.

Food from Danny’s at the Log Cabin will be available from 5pm to 8.30pm on Friday; from 10am to 8.30pm on Saturday and from 10am to 6pm on Sunday.

Danny’s latest menu can be perused HERE.

All three of Greenmount’s senior teams were in action over the Bank Holiday weekend resulting in four wins from five.

Crucially, for the promotion-chasing firsts, it was a double-header with Nelson the visitors to the Log Cabin on Saturday in a game that was cancelled earlier in the summer due to a Covid 19 outbreak.

And the Mount ran out five-wicket victors to go top of the Lancashire League Division Two table for the first time.

Callum Hunter

Man of the moment was Callum Hunter who took 6 for 27 as the division’s bottom club slumped from a promising 132 for 2 to 143 all out with their final eight wickets falling for only 11 runs.

Only former Greenmount professional Usman Tariq (55) along with Neil Thompson (50) showed resistance as they put on 90 runs for the second wicket.

In reply, professional Chesney Hughes was dismissed without scoring with the total on four before Dan Stevens (12) followed him with the score on 21.

However, partnerships of 51 between Andy Kerr (42) and Tom Heaton (12) and 66 from skipper Ryan Senior (32) and Lewis Dove (25 not out) were instrumental in reaching the required total for the loss of five wickets in the 36th over.

The firsts held onto top spot on Sunday evening after a close-run two wicket win at East Lancashire.

The Blackburn side posted a score of 197 for 9 from their 50 overs with Sohail Mohammed hitting 60 and a useful contribution of 35 from Paul Turner.

Ryan Senior

Both Hughes and Hunter took three wickets apiece for the Mount with one apiece for Matthew Senior, Lewis Dove and Andy McGuinness.

With the Mount reply teetering on 67 for 5, it looked a distinct possibility that their eight-game winning sequence would be coming to an end but for another captain’s knock from Senior (44 not out) who put on 70 for the sixth wicket with Matt Donnelly (34).

He followed that up with an unbroken 29 with Kieran Edwards (14 not out) for the ninth wicket to see his side home and maintain their table-topping form.

While the club’s travelling fans were feeling the tension in Blackburn, the home supporters were treated to a veritable run feast with no fewer than 589 clocked up between the seconds and their East Lancashire counterparts.

Fortunately, it was the Mount that were victorious with a 51-run success that owed a lot to a terrific unbeaten knock of 139 from Brad Edge.

Opener Jake Chadwick also made a good contribution with 69 while Sam Greenhalgh (32), Ben Hornsby (26) and Nigel Franklin (22) did their bit as well as the villagers put on 320 for 5 from their 45 overs.

The visitors made a decent fist of replying to that score with only one of their batsmen failing to reach double figures.

But great credit should go to young Max Birtwistle who took an impressive 4 for 33 from 8.2 overs. Oliver Dixon took three wickets and skipper Alex Bullen two as the spirited reply petered out at 269.

It was a win and a defeat for Mark Crowther’s third eleven with games on Saturday and Bank Holiday Monday.

While the first team were seeing off Nelson at the Log Cabin, the thirds had a 63-run victory against their counterparts at Seedhill.

After scoring 171 for 9 – due in no small measure to a good knock of 56 from Henry Dickinson and 26 from Nigel Franklin – the home reply fell well short at 108 all out.

As for the Greenmount bowling plaudits, Max Birtwistle had another great day with 3 for 7 from just short of six overs while there was a brace apiece for Henry Dickinson and Adam Clarke and one each for Edward Dickinson and father Leigh.

On Monday the thirds were again on the road when they made a trip to Great Harwood to take on their fourth eleven.

Batting first, uncle and nephew opening combination David Mason (25) and Sam Greenhalgh (16) made a steady start and Tan Ahmed kept the momentum going with 21 before Mason departed with the score on 81 for 3.

But as wickets began to fall, it took a captain’s innings from Crowther (38 not out) to get the total up to 141 for 8 from their 40 overs.

The home side then proceeded to knock them off for the loss of three wickets with Sam Woolley, Charlie Exton and Adam Clarke sharing the wickets between them.

If you want a Bank Holiday brekkie or something later in the day, Danny’s at the Log Cabin will be open from 9.30am till 4pm tomorrow (Bank Holiday Monday).

There will be an Under-11 junior game in the morning for those wanting a cricket ‘fix’ with their full English!

The club bar will also be open from 12 noon.

It promises to be a busy weekend for Greenmount with the first eleven involved in two games that are sure to have a vital bearing on the Lancashire League Division Two promotion chase.

Cricketing activities begin on Friday evening (27th August) with the ever-popular junior practice at the Log Cabin, beginning at 6pm.

On Saturday, the firsts entertain Nelson, following the Covid 19 cancellation of this fixture a few weeks ago. The Mount’s third team, meanwhile, travel to Seedhill to take on Nelson’s thirds.

On Sunday, the first team make the trip to Alexandra Meadows, Blackburn to face East Lancashire while the seconds take on their counterparts at the Log Cabin.

For travelling supporters click HERE for the location of East Lancashire CC.

On Bank Holiday Monday, the third’s travel to Cliffe Park, Great Harwood to face their fourth team.

All the weekend’s games have a 12.30pm start.

PLEASE NOTE: Over the weekend, food from Danny’s at the Log Cabin will be available from 5pm to 8.30pm on Friday; from 10am to 8.30pm on Saturday and from 10am to 6pm on Sunday.

Danny’s latest menu can be perused HERE.

Greenmount’s first eleven lifted themselves into second place in the Lancashire League Division Two table following a nine-wicket triumph over Rishton at the Log Cabin on Sunday.

The visitors won the toss and elected to bat but were soon in trouble at 29 for 3 with Andy McGuinness taking all three scalps.

Andy McGuinness

There proved to be no way back for Rishton who slumped to 124 all out with all six of the Greenmount bowlers among the wickets.

McGuinness took pride of place with his impressive 3 for 27 while there were doubles for Kieran Edwards and Lewis Dove and one apiece for Matthew Senior, Callum Hunter and pro Chesney Hughes.

In reply the villagers were never seriously troubled and following Jack Harrison’s dismissal for 27, Hughes (50 not out) and Andy Kerr (31 not out) saw them home in the 18th over.

The pro’s 50 included four sixes and four fours and came in 48 balls.

The second team, meanwhile, were going down to a 128 run defeat up at Rishton.

The home side were put in to bat by Greenmount and went on to set a challenging total of 254 for 4 from their 45 overs with Matt Leathert hitting an unbeaten 110.

Sam Greenhalgh top scored in the Mount’s reply with 28, however, wickets fell with regularity and they were eventually dismissed for 126 in the 34th over.

Tonight’s (Friday’s) Junior Practice has been cancelled due to the outfield being too wet following the week’s incessant rain.

The club also want to give the ground as much chance as possible to recover before our promotion-chasing first team’s crucial home clash against Rishton on Sunday.

There is no cricket action at the club on Saturday but – weather permitting – both the firsts and seconds hope to play a day later.

The first team will be without both skipper Ryan Senior and Evan Williams on Sunday, with Evan once again having been selected for Cumbria.

The two absentees gives opportunities for two more of the club’s talented youngsters to step into the breach with both Dan Stevens and Matty Senior the replacements.

The second team are due to take on Rishton’s seconds on Sunday at Blackburn Road. Both games begin at the earlier time of 12.30pm.

PLEASE NOTE: Whatever the weather food from Danny’s at the Log Cabin will be available from 5pm to 8.30pm tonight (Friday); from 10am to 8.30pm on Saturday and from 10am to 6pm on Sunday.

Danny’s latest menu can be perused HERE.

The club are delighted to announce that professional Chesney Hughes has put pen to paper on a contract for both the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

The popular West Indian paid man has already hit more than 1,000 runs this campaign and it’s fabulous news for the club that he has committed for two more years.

Greenmount’s first eleven picked up a good three-wicket victory at Great Harwood but it was a closer run thing than it looked like being early in the game.

Captain Ryan Senior won the toss and – given the threat of rain on the day – understandably elected to field.

That decision soon appeared to be the correct one when the home side were reduced to 37 for 4 following a three-wicket spell from Callum Hunter with Evan Williams picking up the other scalp.

Ryan Senior

However, Great Harwood weren’t about to roll over and 37 for 4 became 167 for 6 and eventually 183 for 7 mainly due to 76 from Caleb Greenhalgh and 40 from wicketkeeper Christian Oddie who were both dismissed by Kieran Edwards.

The Mount reply looked in big trouble when Jack Harrison, pro Chesney Hughes and Tom Heaton were back in the shed with the score on only 25.

But Andy Kerr (45) and Evan Williams (56) steadied the ship though when Williams became the fifth victim of pacey Sri Lankan professional Thikshila De Silva with the score on 139 for 6 the game was back in the balance.

That was the cue for skipper Senior to calm any nerves there may have been in the Greenmount ranks and his unbeaten 29 along with contributions from Andy McGuinness (10) and Mattie Donnelly (9) saw the lads home with five overs remaining.

The victory keeps the Mount in the heart of the Lancashire League Division Two promotion chase with a game in hand.

Meanwhile, at the Log Cabin, it was a day to forget for the second team against their Great Harwood counterparts.

They were dismissed for 118 with only Sam Greenhalgh (32), Oliver Dixon (27) and Stuart Leach (10 reaching double figures.

It was a total that was always going to be difficult to defend against a useful side in the promotion places and so it proved when the visitors reached their target inside 20 overs for the loss of four wickets.

The third team also bit the dust when they entertained a Great Harwood fourth eleven on Sunday.

Greenmount ran up 157 for 5 from their 40 overs with skipper Mark Crowther hitting an unbeaten 49 and Daniel Creer 34, while father and son opening partnership Henry and Leigh Dickinson scored 22 and 15 respectively. It proved insufficient as the visitors knocked that total off in the 38th over with Henry Dickinson (2), Iain Malone and Charlie Exton taking their four wickets.