Church host Nelson in Sunday’s Worsley Cup semi-final hoping to book a spot at the League’s showpiece for the first time since 2002.
Current skipper Craig Fergusson was a youngster in the side which lost at Ramsbottom on that occasion but the left-handed opening batsman, who returned to his first club in 2010 following a spell at Enfield, would like nothing more than to lead his side out in the final.
Church perhaps gained a psychological advantage when they beat Nelson at Seedhill last Sunday but Fergusson knows that sport doesn’t necessarily work like that, with Nelson professional Luke Woodcock sure to want to turn the tables on his old team-mates.
Kiwi Woodcock was Church pro in 2009 and 2010 and though he had a bad day at the office last week, Fergusson says Sunday is another day.
The Church captain said: "The Worsley Cup semi-final on Sunday is a totally different game. What’s been and gone is firmly in the past and everyone in both teams starts from a clean sheet on Sunday.
"But it’s been a while since we have been in the final, when we unfortunately lost in 2002 . It is the most prestigious occasion in the Lancashire League calendar and we will be doing everything we possibly can to get there."
Church pro Saeed Anwar proved the matchwinner last week, hitting 107 as Woodcock came in for some stick with the ball.
But Church were given a couple of jolts when they lost their last seven wickets for just 12, then as Nelson raced to 81-2 in chasing.
Fergusson said: "I take full responsibility for the wickets at the end as I gave lads licence to play their shots when I should maybe have said: ‘Push ones and twos,’ but you live and learn.
"And at the first drinks break, when they batted, we were down and out but the boys regrouped, showed great character and determination to fight back."
Church wicketkeeper Sam Tucker, another who was a teenager playing in that 2002 final, added: "A home Worsley Cup semi-final, our new pro Saeed against our old pro Luke, both starting back on zero, hopefully a big crowd on a hot day, it just doesn’t get any better, it’s the kind of game you play cricket for."
Tucker revealed a little secret about Church’s Pakistani matchwinner Saeed Anwar: "Saeed was telling me that the run up to Sunday’s game and his century at Nelson was his longest run in league cricket without a hundred.
"He is a great influence on the field. While by his own standards he might not have been up to the level he expects, he emanates an air of confidence and it seeps into the other players.
"He picks his time to have a word, before the game or on the field, and is very pro-active in his way while Craig is the man who gives a rollocking when needed."
SUNDAY’S semi-final starts at 1pm. Todmorden host Ramsbottom in the other semi.
