THE Trinity Cup suffered a rare washout at Golborne yesterday.

The late afternoon downpour prevented the Bolton League and Association from achieving a result for only the second time in the competition's 26-year history.

It was all the more disappointing as the rain also denied spectators a potentially intriguing second innings with the Association underdogs hoping for a shock victory and the end of their rivals' recent monopoly of the silverware.

Having held the League to 190-8, they saw the chance of their first victory in the Cup for nine years - before all hope was washed away.

And with officials deciding against replaying the game, they will have to wait at least another year before relinquishing the League's hold on the trophy.

The League, with 15 wins to the Association's eight over the years, failed to live up to their tag as hot favourites as they laboured to 34-2 from the first 17 of their reduced 43 overs.

Then they sent in big hitter Steve Dublin earlier than expected and the move paid off as he rattled up his side's top score of 48. Fellow pro Tinus Enslin kept up the momentum with an important 46 but those two - and David White (22) - apart, the League struggled to put runs on the board.

Much of the credit for that had to go to some fine performances with the ball by the Association.

Darren Foy and Ewan McCray bowled impressively for their respective figures of 1-41 and 1-38 from their ten overs while Nigel Young and Steve Walsh took most of the honours and wickets.

Walsh made the early breakthrough as he took the prized wickets of openers Steve Davies and Craig Duxbury for just seven and 16 runs.

Then pro Young turned on the style with the wickets of Dublin, Enslin, White and Wayne Harper.

The League's innings was completed without any rain-enforced interruption but there was never going to be any more action once the relentless downpour began with the Association's reply at 12 without loss from four overs. SCOREBOARD LEAGUE v ASSOCIATION

Bolton League

S Davies b Walsh ...7

C Duxbury c Mullaney b Walsh ... 16

P Berry c O'Sullivan b McCray ...13

Dublin c Westby b Young ...48

Enslin c Westby b Young ...46

D White lbw Young ...22

W Harper c Westby b Young ...3

T Wallwork not out ...6

Whittle c Westby b Foy ...1

I Taylor not out ...10

Extras... 18

Total (for 8) ... 190

Bowling: Young 10-2-35-4,Foy 10-2-41-1, McCray 10-3-38-1, Walsh 5-1-21-2, Locke 8-0-48-0.

A Batterley not out... 4

P Royle not out ... 0

Extras ...8

Total (for 0) ...12

Bowling: Stewart 2-2-4-0, Taylor 2-1-0-0.

Match abandoned

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