AFTER a disappointing exit to Heywood in the Inter-League Trophy on Saturday, Ramsbottom turned in an excellent performance on Sunday to thrash local rivals Rawtenstall.

On a damp and miserable day, on Saturday, Heywood batted first in a game subsequently reduced to 34 overs a side.

An excellent opening spell by Michael Haslam and Chris Eardley kept run scoring to a premium but, crucially for Heywood, both their openers, the talented Bobby Cross and experienced Mike Arnold had kept their wickets intact and started to score more freely off the change bowlers; taking the score to 69 before the latter departed for 24.

The introduction of the Ramsbottom professional Kartik into the attack slowed down the scoring for a while and with the score on 81 he bowled the dangerous Cross with a beauty.

When Shaw followed shortly afterwards, the Rams looked to be in the driving seat with Heywood on 84 with only 9 overs remaining.

It was at this stage that Heywood threw caution to the wind and posted a challenging target of 155.

Much depended on a good start but with the score only on four the Rams lost their paid man to a dubious lbw decision. This seemed to knock the stuffing out of them and the score progressed slowly in the face of some tight bowling and excellent fielding.

Simon Read tried to put matters right with a fine 36 but the Rams were always that bit behind the scoring rate and eventually fell an agonising 17 runs short of their required target.

The following day, Ramsbottom entertained local rivals Rawtenstall and after losing the toss were invited to take first knock.

After an early disaster, when the in-form Webb was run out without scoring, the Rammy professional vented his frustration by smashing the Rawtenstall attack to all parts of the ground in a run-a-ball 60.

David Bell and John Harrison then carried on the good work with an excellent partnership which took the score to 159 before the tailenders lifted the score to a challenging 210.

Any thoughts that Rawtenstall would find the target too daunting were soon dispelled as skipper Hanson decided to open alongside his professional Payne and he notified his intentions as early as the third over by smashing Michael Haslam out of the ground.

He followed this with an even bigger hit in the pace bowler's next over and, at 48-0, the opposition looked on top.

By this time, Haslam had gone for 37 off his 6 overs so it was a brave decision by captain Richard Hevingham to persevere with the left armer.

With the second ball of his seventh over, Hanson tried one big hit too many and only succeeded in skying Haslam into Alex Bell's hands at cover.

The left hander then ripped the heart out of Rawtenstall's middle order without conceding another run in an amazing exhibition of quality pace bowling to reduce Rawtenstall to 50-5; and they eventually slumped to 102 all out.

and leapfrog them in the league.