League joy thanks to Bannister's brilliance

9:23pm Monday 11th August 2008

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TEAM spirit and togetherness played a crucial part in the Bolton League winning the JW Lees Interleague Trophy.

The local lads recorded a 37-run victory over the North Lancashire League in the final at Furness on Sunday. Neil Bannister, who hit 72, and Adam Coates, 34, impressed with the bat and Steve Foster, Amal Dalugoda and Adam Street finished the job with the ball.

But it was the character and desire of the team as a whole which saw them through.

Selector Dave Tattersall said: “The spirit is such that we have got a club side within a league side. Players want to play for the league side again after a few years when it was regarded as a bit of a bind.

“We’ve strugged to get a settled side for a few years, but now we’ve got one and it’s showed in the results. After winning this, we’re all looking forward to the Anthony Axford Trophy against the Bolton Association in a couple of weeks.

“The big shame is three players will have to miss out when the professionals come back in because nobody deserves to lose their place.”

Bolton were in trouble when they were 1-1, 8-2 and then 20-3, but Bannister and Coates then put together a vital 66-run partnership.

“Adam got the score moving when we needed it,” added Tattersall. “Neil was the wise head we needed. He didn’t panic and batted right through and deservedly got man of the match.”

Street took 2-42, Foster 2-13 and Dalugoda 3-24 as the bowlers impressed as much as the two main batsmen. North Lancashire reached 21-0 before the League made the breakthrough. They continued to take wickets at regular intervals as their opponents fell behind the run rate.

“We were not sure if 176 would be enough,” said Tattersall, “but the bowlers were outstanding to a man, including Phil Ingram who kept it tight. In the three previous games, Steve has only gone for about 50 runs from 27 overs and Adam was tight and Amal took three wickets.

“Chris Barrow has done a top job as captain and he’s one of the main people responsible for the team spirit we have now.”