12-point win sees Bacup leapfrog Nelson

ACUP travelled to Seedhill to take on Nelson and complete the first half of the JW Lees Senior Division 2 League fixtures.

- NEAL WILKINSON & RICHARD PARTINGTON

Nelson's veteran skipper Matt Bradley won the toss and asked Bacup to bat first.

In an excellent start the Bacup openers Lawrence Adlum and Matt Collinge set about the opening bowling and soon put on 56 for the first wicket.

Adlum departed for a very fluent 32 off 30 balls to a sharp caught and bowled by Neil Thompson.

The Bacup professional, Chirag Khurana joined Collinge at the crease as the steady accumulation of runs continued, being 99 for 1 at the half way stage.

With the score on 105 Collinge became another Thompson victim for 41.

Jack Bradford and Chris Gansler went cheaply, but Khurana, who was starting to assume control, was joined by his dependable skipper Ben Lord.

With the score on 174 for 4, a score of 250 plus looked on the cards.

However, to his dismay, Khurana hit a full toss from Abid Ul Wahab straight down the throat of Hassan Fazal at deep mid-wicket boundary and he had to depart for 72.

It was then left to Lord to steer the remainder of the innings as wickets fell around him.

He was last man to go for 35 as Bacup were bowled out for 211 with two overs remaining.

The total was much less than Bacup seemed to be heading for, but, nevertheless, it was generally regarded to be a challenging target.

Khurana was soon amongst the wickets in the Nelson reply, picking up both of the opening batsmen Thompson and Gulraiz Sabir.