RISHTON are the latest club to offer terms to their professional - and Lachlan Stevens certainly showed them they were doing the right thing on Saturday

The Australian, who replaced the injured Vernon Philander in July, has certainly impressed his team-mates, taking a stunning 8-42 in their 21-run victory over Haslingden.

"He has been brilliant with the bat and ball," said acting chairman Alan Craven.

"Everyone is happy with him, he has taken to the environment and we have offered him terms for next season. He has agreed to sign this week providing he is available although we all know a lot can happen in a year."

Stevens, who helped Rishton lift the 20/20 cup this season, is extremely relaxed - and the 27-year-old Queenslander didn't alter his stance when he almost swept the board against Haslingden.

"He is so laid back," said the acting chairman. "He just took his eight wickets in his stride. That's why we want him back as well - he is a calming influence on the rest of the team!"

While Stevens was stealing the headlines, a Rishton teenager was making his debut at the lower end of the batting scale.

Ben Bridson, who has come through the ranks at Rishton, is only 14 and thought to be the youngest player ever to turn out for the Blackburn Road Club's first team.

"We had two players missing and he has been doing well in the second team," said Craven."We decided to promote him and give him a chance and although he looked daunted at first, he settled down and faced the Haslingden pro, Tama Canning, and looked like an old hand at it. He has been with the club since he was a junior and we will bed him in slowly.

"But he got 11 runs and made his contribition. It is good for the club."

Meanwhile, Church stalwart Jack Houldsworth is set to be pushed down the league's all-time wicket taking list after Rawtenstall's Keith Roscoe moved within two of his tally on Saturday against Accrington.

Houldsworth, who is now the club's press officer and the Lancashire League President, took 1129 league wickets in his career which began in 1955 and finished in 1987.

Rawtenstall's prolific bowler Roscoe, 44, got three against Accrington and moved onto 1,127.

There are others ahead of both of them - Fred Duerr played for Bacup and Ramsbottom between 1902-1939 and took a staggering 1955 league wickets altogether.

And Alf Pollard was a bowling star for Colne and Nelson with 1390 league wickets in his 19 seasons from 1916.

But Roscoe is now within touching distance of Church's Houldsworth in third place.

"I am pleased for Keith," said Jack Houldsworth. "I presented him with a silver salver when he got to 1000 league wickets and congratulated him. I would tell him to carry on as long as he can and I am sure he will get quite a few more wickets.

"The difference is I was the only fast bowler - all those are spinners - and your knees go quicker as a fast bowler," he laughed.

How Church would wish they could have someone like Jack as the slipped back into the bottom two after they lost to local rivals Enfield on Saturday.

The sides clashed at Dill Hall Lane and Church could not get any firepower as they struggled to 80 with captain Phil Sykes top-scoring with just 14. Bernard Reidy and pro Alviro Petersen took four wickets each.

Church did collect the early wicket of opener Sam Reidy (10) but Craig Fergusson went on to make 51 against his old club and Petersen didn't even need to bat as Enfield celebrated victory with eight wickets to spare and moved back into the top six.

"We are not worried," said Houldsworth. "We have seen it all before. We are a young side and are missing the experienced players like Mark Aspin, who could get you at least 500 runs a season and retired last season, and Alec Holt. There is the potential there but we have just got to be patient."

Roscoe was in charge as Accrington also couldn't find their batting form against Rawtenstall.

The Worswick Memorial Ground side set Accrington a target of 192 - helped by a late half-ton from Andrew Payne. Zahir Afzal was the pick of the Thorneyholme Road bowlers with 4-56.

In reply, dangerman Nishit Shetty fell for 33 and then Rawtenstall pro Allan Wise disposed of the middle and lower order, with some help from Roscoe and Accrington finished 47 runs short.