Accrington avenged their defeat to Rishton in the Worsley Cup with a win in their league meeting on Sunday – their 11th on the trot in the competition.

Opener Simon Hanson led from the front with an unbeaten 98, a career best, to help Accrington reach 220-6 from their 50 overs.

Bowler Jimmy Hayhurst said that Hanson had produced a ‘man of the match’ performance and he was the key to the victory.

“Simon stepped up, he was outstanding,” said Hayhurst.

“We were all a little bit disappointed that he couldn’t go on and get his hundred, but there’s no doubting that he was the man on Sunday.”

Hayhurst also paid tribute to his captain Graham Lloyd, who chipped in with 57 and, in the process, passed 4,500 runs in the Lancashire League.

“Graham is fantastic and is absolutely vital to the club. He has brought with him a style of play that we have all embraced, and everybody knows their role.

“He gives us an edge, both on and off the field. He has made an exceptional contribution to this club and every club in the league would love to have someone like Graham in the squad,” Hayhurst said.

Rishton’s run chase fell short, as they were dismissed for 166 from 43.3 overs, 54 runs short of the target set by the opposition.

But Hayhurst insisted that the game was in the balance for a long time.

“We were never 100 per cent in control until we got their

professional (Daniel Salpietro) out. Up until that, the game could have gone either way, but I think getting his wicket swung things our way,” Hayhurst said.

Elsewhere, Enfield skipper Adam Bracewell smashed an unbeaten 99 to help his team win by seven wickets over Church at Dill Hall Lane, their first victory of the season.

Church reached 203-6 from their allotted overs, a total which seemed fair at the halfway point. But Bracewell and his team made short work of the run chase, reaching their target with 25 deliveries to spare.

“To be honest, the feeling throughout the team is one of relief, really. It has been a long time since we have tasted victory, and it does affect your confidence, so it’s nice to finally get the monkey off our backs,” Bracewell said.

The decision to bowl first turned out to be a good one for Enfield, with the pitch, according to Bracewell, ‘always going to improve’.

“In the middle of their innings we managed to get a couple of key wickets, and that turned things our way. On the whole I think we bowled pretty well,” Bracewell said.

His knock of 99 helped his team to victory, but Bracewell insisted he was more interested in getting his team over the line, and that his personal total was not important.

“I just wanted to win the game, I didn’t even look at the scoreboard; the century never even entered my head. I realised I was on 95 when we needed one to win, and when I got back in the dressing room, one of the lads said ‘did you not try and hit a six?’ But, honestly, I was just looking to see it through,” Bracewell added.