CHAMPIONSHIP-winning skipper Charlie Cottam lauded the guts and determination of Lowerhouse professional Francois Haasbroek after the South African put his body on the line and went through the pain barrier to win the title.

After Lowerhouse were bowled out for 127 in their game at Todmorden on Sunday they needed Haasbroek on song.

But midway through his first over he pulled up with a quad muscle strain and was forced to go off a short run.

“The pro came over to me after the first over and said ‘I’ve done my quad’,” explained Cottam.

“I asked him how bad it was and he said that it was that bad that he couldn’t bowl.

“He said he would give it another over and came in off three paces.

“He said he could carry on like that – and he was brilliant for us.

“He got through a real shift and the title meant as much to him as it did to us.”

While Haasbroek, who returned to South Africa yesterday, was conceding just 29 runs from his 18 overs, Jonathan Finch was bowling the House to glory with career-best figures of 8-38 from 22 overs.

And his display took Lower-house over the line and sparked a late night party at Liverpool Road.

“It’s a great feeling,” added Cottam.

“It means so much to everyone at the club.”

Haasbroek, who will return to Lowerhouse next season, was leading the party and said: “This is a special moment in my career.

“I wanted to get us over the line before I went home – and now the lads have no pressure on them next week.

“As the pro you want to finish your job off and win the league for your team and it was important to do that.

“It means so much to everyone in the dressing room and to all of the spectators.”

Eight-wicket wonder Jonathan Finch admitted it was a special feeling after he became a Lowerhouse legend in the space of 22 overs at Todmorden on Sunday.

The 28-year-old claimed 8-38, his career best figures, to lead the House home.

And that took the star all-rounder to 53 wickets for the season.

“When you are closing in on the title you wake up on the morning of games and wonder if today will be the day,” he said.

“You also hope that you can be the man to be the hero – you want the team to get over the line but you want to be the one to star.

“There has been a lot of hard work put in at the club over recent years and the title is a great feeling and hopefulyl we can kick on from it this in years to come.”

Finch’s eight-wicket haul also took him past 300 wickets in the Lancashire League.

He now has 305 victims in his 232 matches since his debut for old club Nelson against Accrington in 1999.

Lowerhouse will attempt their own little bit of history when they wrap up their campaign at home to Accrington on Sunday.

No club in Lancashire League history has won all home games in one season.

There has always been a defeat or an abandonment – but the House have played 12, won 12 this term.

They will go out for the record on a day when they will receive the Lancashire League trophy in front of what is sure to be a celebrating crowd.”

They face an Accrington side who were their main rivals for the crown and who did their bit on Sunday by beating Bacup with David Ormerod claiming five wickets to move onto 54 for the season.

The leading bowler is Ramsbottom skipper Jonathan Fielding who is closing in on a piece of history of his own.

Ramsbottom, like Accrington, have two games to play and Fielding’s left-arm spin has so far yielded 95 wickets.

If he can claim five more he will become the first person to complete the century of victims in two consecutive seasons since Enfield’s Tom Lancaster in 1903 and 1904.

On each of those two campaigns Lancaster claimed 112 victims.