CAPTAINS are sometimes required to lead from the front but, even though Rawtenstall's Andy Payne grabbed a stunning return of six wickets for just 32 runs, he was the first to admit their 69-run success over Haslingden had been much more than a one-man show.

Payne's persistance with the ball was more than matched by the resolute manner in which professional Matthew Mott and Jamie Carter had gone about putting runs on the board as Rawtenstall set 163 for the loss of five wickets.

Their arch-rivals Haslingden, eventually ousted for 94, showed signs of getting enough runs together to make a fight of it, but the big factor in the match was the home side's fielding, which was ever alert and most markedly a team effort.

The pattern of the game was governed by the fact that overnight rain had led to the Bacup Road wicket being damp and it made for a low scoring game in which every run had to be earned.

"It was hard work getting runs," agreed Payne. "Water had got under the covers and it was a little bit sticky in places, so it was a wicket where you had to be patient if you were going to get runs.

"Obviously I was the one who got the wickets, but a great deal of credit had to go to the batsmen, especially after we were three down without having reached 30.

"We could quite easily have collapsed but Jamie Carter did really well for us with his 49 and Matthew Mott knocked a good 60 which gave us something to bowl at."

Haslingden captain and professional Ian Austin took four wickets for 73, despite being hampered by a slight hamstring pull, but when it came to batting his side failed to break the back of a dogged Rawtenstall attack aided by an ever vigilant fielding display.

"I was very pleased with the whole performance," added Payne.

"The last couple of weeks we have been a bit flat in the field, particularly when things haven't gone our way, so it was something we had discussed.

"We also knew it was a wicket where you had to be patient, as Jamie and Matthew showed, and that you could not come in and hope to smash the ball around.

"So we worked hard to put them under pressure and as our last few wickets illustrated, when they had to try and push the pace, if you bowled straight there were wickets to be had."

The situation was fairly balanced as Haslingden stood at 51 for the loss of four wickets, though Austin had already gone cheaply for four runs, at half way in comparison to Rawtenstall's 47 for three at the 25 over mark.

However, the resilience of Mott and Carter, who benefitted from Haslingden's failure to hold a couple of good catching chances, paid dividends for the home side.

For Haslingden the picture changed when Paul Blackledge, who had looked like being equally as immovable, flicked at a ball from slow left-armer Keith Roscoe and skied the ball for a simple catch.

From that point it was a case of Rawtenstall sticking to their guns and Payne's fine spell produced a deserved victory.

"It was a fantastic result for us," enthused Payne.

"After a couple of disappointing games we felt we needed a platform and hopefully this has provided it and we can kick on from here."

RAWTENSTALL v HASLINGDEN

RAWTENSTALL 163-5

HASLINGDEN 94

RAWTENSTALL 12pts, HASLINGDEN 0pts

RAWTENSTALL

P Collis b Blomley...2

Mott c Smith b Austin...60

P Seal c Lord b Austin...11

A Payne c Ingham b Austin...1

J Carter lbw b Austin...49

R Wood not out...18

D Janson not out...8

Extras...14

Total (5 wkts)...163

Fall: 1-3, 2-25, 3-28, 4-126, 5-149

Bowling: Austin 25-3-73-4, M Blomley 10-1-25-1, A Sidley 15-1-53-0.

HASLINGDEN

C Lord c Mott b Payne...9

M Griffin c Carter b Seal...20

Austin lbw b Seal...4

N Grinrod b Mott...8

M Ingham lbw b PAyne...8

P Blackledge c Smith b Roscoe...25

S Taylor b Payne...7

A Smith not out...1

B Knowles lbw b Payne...1

A Sidley b Payne...0

M Blomley b Payne...0

Extras...11

Total...94

Fall: 1-18, 2-28, 3-46, 4-46, 5-84, 6-86, 7-92, 8-94, 9-94

Bowling: P Seal 11-4-24-2, A Payne 15-3-32-6, Mott 7-4-14-1, K Roscoe 8-0-19-1.