ANDY Kerr joked Oswaldtwistle Immanuel should be renamed "Metcalf Immanuel" - but he is hoping not to be upstaged by one of the family.

Dad Gerard Metcalf, sons Andrew and Daniel all play for the New Lane side and it’s 16-year-old Daniel that causing Ossy professional Kerr a few problems.

The pair open the batting together but so far Lancashire junior player Daniel is upstaging the English paid man.

Daniel is 13th in the league’s batting rankings and has 250 runs for the season with a high score of 59.

Kerr, a former amateur with Greenmount in the Bolton League, is currently 37th with 142 and a high score of 59.

He is bemoaning his own shows - but is pleased that teenager Daniel is shining.

"I am going to have to put something in his drink to slow him down!" joked Kerr, who is in his second season with Immanuel. "I just really need some runs though. I got 40-odd at the weekend and I should have stayed in against Baxenden the week before but Daniel is currently the one doing well.

"He is a good player and he has matured through the winter. He was perhaps short of experience but he is now getting it and he must be averaging around 40 a match.

"He has taken responsibility of being the opener and tries to bat the whole game."

Dad Gerard Metcalf, a former Immanuel captain who handed over the reins to Imran Abid this season, is third in the league’s bowling ratings with 28 wickets and a best of 6-26 while Andrew, 22, has taken 13 wickets in this campaign.

And Immanuel are in the heady heights of the top half of the table after struggling in the last few campaigns and finishing bottom last season.

Four wins in the last five games - five in six if you count the 20/20 Group Three clash after they saw off Feniscowles on Friday - has boosted their confidence and they have secured a place in the second round of the Ramsbottom Cup.

Their only defeat in this run came against runaway leaders Baxenden and a sign of how far the team has come is measured by the fact they were frustrated by not beating the table toppers.

"We should have won that game," said Kerr. "We were on top when we got them all out for 127 and that was achieveable for us but we ended up 87 all out. Saying that, you can’t knock Baxenden. Any team with Ian Austin in is going to be strong and Baber Naeem is a good professional.

"But we are happy with our recent performances as a team. We have always known we have a good side here at Ossy but it has been a young side and that’s why we haven’t done as well as we can over the years.

"I knew it would come together and now everyone is willing to put the effort in and take the responsibility.

"And we have made a couple of signings who have been good for us. Choppy (Alamgir Anwar) always gives 110 per cent, is really keen, and his more relaxed style helps Andrew Metcalf with his bowling.

"Batting, fielding and bowling - it is all going right and we know the potential is there - we have just got to keep it going."

Immanuel saw off bottom club Clitheroe on Saturday - a side who were tipped to be title challengers this season but are struggling. Anwar took four wickets and Gerard Metcalf three as Clitheroe were bowled out for 141.

Daniel Metcalf and Kerr put on around 80 for the opening wicket while Anwar chipped in with an unbeaten 18 to seal another win for Immanuel.

BAXENDEN continue to boss the top of the table and pro Naeem put on a superb batting show on Saturday. He hit 133 - with 11 fours and four sixes - which is the highest in the league so far this season to take his tally to 450 runs for the campaign. Lewis McIntosh hit 39 in 46 balls in their 93 run win over Whalley.

Naeem then took five wickets to make it 33 for the season as he leads the way in both the batting and bowling averages.

But is was a bad day at the office for fellow title challengers GREAT HARWOOD who suffered a five wicket loss to Ribblesdale Wanderers. Patrick Swanney top scored with 43 in their low score of 109 and Wanderers reached it comfortably.

IN the Lancashire Cup, Baxenden saw off Read - their main challengers for the league title - on Sunday. "I think it was a game neither side wanted to lose just because of our league positions but we came through," said Bash captain Ian Austin.