HASLINGDEN'S Musbury Fabrics Lancashire League title hopes suffered a double blow over the weekend as they missed out on a major signing and saw a winning chance at leaders Bacup washed away by the rain.

Haslingden are still looking to replace injured professional Andrew McDonald and were close to pulling off a major coup when they thought they had struck an eight-game deal for explosive Pakistani batsman Shahid Afridi.

"We had him lined up for next weekend and then he asked us to make him an offer for a longer stay," explained Bentgate skipper Paul Blackledge.

"We made him an offer, within our budget, but then two hours later he rang back to say he couldn't come because Lashings wanted him and we can't compete with that money."

Afridi, who has played 14 Tests and 179 one-day internationals, starred for Leicestershire in one-day cricket three seasons ago and would have given Haslingden's championship challenge a massive shot in the arm.

The hard-hitting 24-year-old will play for the club against Lowerhouse next Saturday but only as a one-off with Blackpool's South African professional Justin Kreusch standing in for Haslingden's Worsley Cup semi-final clash with Nelson the day after.

And Blackledge admits that his side will then have to continue with substitute professionals on a match-by-match basis as they look to maintain their challenge near the top of the table.

Yesterday it was Kendal all-rounder Kabir Kahn who took on the paid-man duties. And although he failed with the bat, his one over produced the wicket of Bacup opener Peter Thompson for a duck, leaving a ball that swung into him, before Lanehead was reduced to a swamp.

The game had already been reduced to a 39-overs-per-side contest and having posted a total of 178-7, Haslingden were disappointed not to be able to press home their advantage.

"Having got 180 on the board and then an early wicket it's very frustrating," Blackledge added.

"We were very pleased to get what we did. We got in a bit of a mix in the middle but pulled it round. It was potentially a very good game, but I think we were in pole position.

"You can't beat the weather, but it's the last thing we needed. We needed the points to close the gap because if you're going to win the league you need to beat sides like Bacup, and we had an opportunity."

Blackledge had led from the front as Haslingden set a target in excess of four an over.

Mike Ingham posted yet another half-century as he took his run tally for the season to 387. But having hit professional Chris Simpson out of the attack early Ingham became becalmed around the half-century mark, which he passed off 85 balls with one six and five fours.

It was left to Blackledge to provide the acceleration, which he did with three sixes and three fours with Terry Lord the one to suffer as David Ormerod, the league's leading amateur wicket-taker, bagged another six at the other end to make it 41 for the summer.

BACUP 0-1

HASLINGDEN 178-7

Bacup 3pts, Haslingden 3pts

HASLINGDEN

M Ingham c Killelea b Ormerod...61

B Knowles b Ormerod...7

S Dearden lbw Ormerod...31

Kahn c and b Ormerod...0

P Blackledge b Simpson...40

A Smith c Simpson b Ormerod...6

S Catterall c Killelea b Ormerod...15

L McIntosh not out...5

J Simpson not out...1

Extras...12

Total (7 wickets)...178

Bowling: D Ormerod 20-6-55-6; D Shaw 3-0-16-0; Simpson 6-0-39-1; T Lord 10-0-56-0.

BACUP

P Thompson b Kahn...0

P Gallagher not out...0

Simpson not out...0

Extras...0

Total (1 wicket)...0

Bowling: Kahn 1-1-0-1