Rishton captain Jimmy Bibby wants his Jekyll and Hyde side to find some consistency this season.

The skipper’s aim this summer is for a top-half finish after losing a range of players in the winter and not adding to the squad.

They have got all-rounder Richard Rostron back for a couple of games as he has returned from Australia to be best man at Shaun Hutchinson’s wedding but he admits they are down to the bare bones in terms of numbers.

"The team does really pick itself," said the skipper.

"You look at the likes of Lowerhouse and they can leave a player of the calibre of Jonathan Finch out and have others coming in so they hardly miss him and I just wish I had those selection problems!

"Finishing in the top half of the table for us would be like winning the league and that’s the aim."

While saying that, Rishton – who finished 13th last season with seven league wins all campaign – have found some form so far.

"We have won three in the league so far out of five and we are quite happy with that as we only had seven for the whole of last season. We have given ourselves something to build on," he said.

Their latest Foster’s Lancashire League win was done with some style, with new professional Daniel Salpietro hitting an unbeaten 111 – with seven fours – in their three-wicket win over Colne on Saturday as they chased 200.

But then it was despair the day after in the first round of the Foster’s Worsley Cup as Rishton set a target of 234 – which looked a decent score although it was a batsman’s wicket – but it was Bacup’s turn this time to chase it down.

"We seem to play well on the Saturdays and then have a hangover for the Sundays," said Bibby. "I don’t know why.

"I must admit I didn’t think 234 was enough – I thought we needed around 260, so we were 30 short and so it proved.

"Bacup did to us what we did to Colne but then Bacup have someone like Jack McGregor who got 90 and will go on to get 700-800 runs this season and I don’t think we will have someone like that – it’s the difference – and these players are hard to come by, especially when you aren’t winning things.

"It doesn’t help when you drop catches and we dropped four on Sunday."

Opener Bibby made 38 in the cup clash and Australian Salpietro couldn’t build on his ton knock from the day before as he was back in the changing rooms for just two.

Abdul Biswoodall (64) and youngster Luke McVarish (68) took up the mantle but wickets dropped quickly at the end and Rishton were all out with eight balls to spare.

Bacup were reliant on sub pro Dale Deeb, from Blackpool, with Udara Peiris injured but, as it happened, they didn’t overly need him.

Former Lowerhouse wicketkeeper McGregor (90) and Anthony Taylor (48) made 79 for the opening wicket and then Tim Farragher (55) closed in on the Rishton target quickly.

Despite McGregor and Farragher being out in quick succession – and Bacup captain David Warren admitted his heart was beating fast on the balcony as he feared his side would throw it away – Deeb hit a couple of fours as Bacup came through with three overs and seven wickets to spare.

"It always hurts when you lose like that," said Bibby.

"But in this game you do have to take the highs with the lows.

"I have been lucky enough to win the league three times and better players than me haven’t won it once and you just have to congratulate Bacup and say ‘that’s cricket’.

"The good thing for us is our professional has done really well so far.

"He has high expectations of himself, and for the team, and wants to do well on and off the field.

"I am sure he is aiming higher but I would be pleased with a top half of the table finish and I am reasonably happy with the start we have had.

"I think we have only finished in the top half once in the last 10 years – when we won the league in 2007 – so we have got to be realistic with our ambitions.

"I think the competition we have a genuine chance in is the Twenty20. In the last few years we have had two semi-finals and won a final so that’s something we hope to do well in.

"As for the league title, I am struggling to see further than Lowerhouse at the moment.

"I just can’t see them getting beaten, they are a talented team who play good cricket."

Hyndburn will have three representatives in the second round of the Worsley Cup.

Enfield and Church were lucky enough to get byes but 2008 winners Accrington had to battle it out with 2010 shock cup victors Colne at Thorneyholme Road.

And they must have feared the worst as only Stuart Crabtree’s 46 and a staggering 58 extras – with 45 wides – took their total to 149 all out, the 10-bowler rule certainly working in Accrington’s favour.

Thankfully, Jimmy Hayhurst and his bowlers were able to do the damage with the wickets shared – Hayhurst taking a cup best of four, Ashar Zaidi and Simon Hanson notching two each and David Ormerod and teenager Brynley Hargreaves grabbing one apiece as Colne were all out for 97 – 52 runs short.

There were shocks as well with both holders Ramsbottom and another favourite, Todmorden, biting the dust at the first hurdle.

The second-round draw will take place next Wednesday (May 30) at the Lancashire League executive committee meeting.