Church pro Saeed Anwar chalked up his first century for the club at Seedhill as Luke Woodcock’s Nelson team were well beaten in a dress rehearsal for Sunday’s Worsley Cup semi-final.
Anwar certainly won the first battle of the current and former Church pros hands down to give the West Enders a third straight 12-point win.
There was, though, a remarkable Church collapse despite Anwar’s ton which may give Craig Fergusson’s men food for thought.
There were few hints of the peaks and troughs to come as Church lost both openers, Fergusson and Levi Wolfenden, to fine David Crotty catches in plodding to 44 off the first 20 overs.
Anwar had been particularly circumspect with just seven off his first 43 deliveries received.
But the introduction of Woodcock saw the the Pakistani ace’s eyes light up and he hit the first of his eight sixes off Woodcock’s second over.
Nasser Hussain helped add 63 for the third wicket but fell to a catch in the deep.
That was the prelude to some wonderful entertainment as Anwar and Mohammed Jamil, dropped twice, put on 97 in 12 overs.
Five Woodcock overs went for 55, a six in each of the first four, while in his opposite number’s final over Anwar hit the first three deliveries over the fences.
In all, Anwar hit seven of his sixes off Woodcock and also struck four fours in his 125-ball assault, his first 50 off 89 balls, his second off just 30.
But his dismissal, caught and bowled by Meade, precipitated a complete capitulation.
Jamil was leg before off the next ball for 20 and three more wickets fell in the 48th over, bowled by Nazir, as Church went from 192-3 with 32 balls left to 204 all out.
Church donated a flurry of wides and extras to help give Nelson, but by then, Wolfenden had trapped Stuart Lemon, and in the next over, Nasser Hussain took a fine catch off Jamil to remove Peter Dibb.
Woodcock dug in against his old team-mates but there was a momentous 400th career league wicket for Andrew Bentley when he got Woodcock to tickle one to Sam Tucker.
Crotty went in similar fashion for 33 as Anwar applied the brakes and wickets began to tumble with regularity.
Jamil, recalled for a second spell, further enhanced his reputation and claimed a collection by mopping up the tail with 5-52.
Anwar took two stunning catches, one of them one-handed, at cover and ended with 3-44 as Nelson ended 169 all out.
Accrington are still in third after a weekend which saw the top six record maximum-point victories.
James Hayhurst’s side crushed strugglers Colne at Thorneyholme Road, posting a formidable 221-9 before bowling out the hapless visitors for 75.
Youngster Marley Ali’s promise earned him a spot opening the batting with Stuart Crabtree but Ali was caught and bowled by Dinuka Hettiarachchi, Colne’s sub pro, for 10.
Ashar Zaidi’s 64 and supporting contributions from Crabtree (35), Simon Hanson, Mitch Taylor and Graeme Sneddon laid the foundations for a sparkling unbroken stand of 48 between Graham Lloyd (35 not out) and David Ormerod (16 not out) to boost the final total.
Colne’s reply was dismal as Ormerod and Hayhurst ripped the top order out and the visitors could never recover from 7-3 and then 35-4.
Hayhurst earned a rest and a collection with 5-32 off 14 overs before Taylor and Ali cleaned the tail up.
Enfield disappointed against Haslingden at Bentgate as they were bowled out for 112 after dismissing the home side for 176.
Adam Bracewell’s side had pegged Haslingden back after they got to 64-0 and were 153-3 at one point with skipper Graham Knowles looking imperious.
But with Knowles out to Hassan Fazal for 84, the last seven wickets fell for just 23 runs, Liam Jackson and Enfield professional Werner Coetsee claiming three wickets apiece.
But apart from Coetsee, who made 39, and captain Adam Bracewell (20), Enfield had little to offer, and from 43-2, things went rapidly downhill.
Last hope Sagawat Hussain went to a fine Lee Ingham catch in the deep as the innings was ended with more than 15 overs unused.
Rishton’s woes continued with a home defeat to Ramsbottom, but at least the bottom side added to their points tally with a fighting effort.
Captain James Bibby promoted himself to open the innings and protect some of his younger batsmen from the firing line.
Bibby made a battling 32 but there was little to support him as only Mark Leathert (16) of the rest made double figures.
Ramsbottom looked set for a quick win but Chris Holt and Afaq Ali Sartaj winkled out the openers with the latter also bowling Rammy pro Shanan Stewart cheaply.
Sartaj took three more wickets as Ramsbottom neared the target and earned a collection with 5-36, inflicting Rishton’s 11th straight league defeat this season and a club record 16th consecutive league loss in total.
