GREAT Harwood captain Russell Whalley has been a record breaker this season - but now he wants his side to be the record breakers next summer.
Whalley, with 1057 runs, has become the Ribblesdale League's leading English amateur run scorer taking a nine year record off Earby's Nigel Pickles.
He needed 35 in his final game against Earby to reach the landmark - but he kept his nerve smashing 57 off 30 balls including six fours and four sixes.
"I wasn't nervous really," said the captain. "I was more nervous the week before when I needed 13 to reach 1000 runs. The Earby bowlers just bowled in my slot and it worked out okay.
"Both Earby and Great Harwood stopped and clapped when I reached the record so it was a nice feeling.
"Now I have got to try and break it next year as I have set myself high standards - and I want to keep them!"
But he has also set high standards for the team as he wants them to end more than a century of waiting for the Ribblesdale league title.
This season they finished third but, Whalley thinks, with the addition of Indian all-rounder Gyan Pandey next summer, who has been professional at Todmorden the last couple of seasons, his side can finally do it. Pandey got 852 league runs this season and 50 wickets.
"Our pro, Martin Nurse, has been disappointing this season as I don't think he has won us a game," said the captain. "That's why we are glad to have Gyan. We have looked at his records and hopefully he can get the runs for us. He is a good batsman and a decent bowler."
Harwood did just finish five points - one win - off the top of the league which was won by Settle. "It is so frustrating because of the pro and some of the lads were disappointed with their own performances. But next year hopefully, with Gyan and with no injuries, we can do it."
Whalley, who has been offered terms elsewhere but is adamant he is staying at Cliffe Park, is currently debating whether to give up the captaincy.
Paul Houldsworth fancies a go at it, jokingly calling Whalley a "terrible captain" last week as he put his name forward for the job. But, although Whalley is still debating what he is going to do, his first thought is to hold onto it.
"I know I am the best captain Paul has ever worked for and, if he wants the captaincy, he can fight me for it - literally!" joked the record breaker.
While Harwood ended on a high, Baxenden had to settle for ninth place after a topsy turvy season. Three mid-season wins had led to dreams of a top six spot finish but they fell off in the last few games, and they slipped to a defeat in their final game to Cherry Tree by just six runs.
Cherry Tree set 165 with Jason Capstick taking 4-44. It looked a realistic target with skipper Dave Usher top scoring with 28, his brother Pete making 23 and lower order batsman Danny Hothersall grabbing a late 21 but it just wasn't enough.
And Oswaldtwistle will be hoping for better things next season after finishing at the bottom. Their batting order once again struggled as they lost by nine wickets to last day title hopefuls Clitheroe - although they denied them two vital bonus point.
It has been a tough season, though, losing batting pro Raja Ali early in the season and they will hope for a more stable paid man next season to help guide their young players.
