RAMSBOTTOM are on a roll, but captain Tom Parton is refusing to get carried away. 

Played four, won four is the record for the Acre Bottom side – three in the Lancashire League and one in the Worsley Cup.

This weekend, they beat last year’s league champions Clitheroe in the cup on Saturday and saw off Todmorden in the league on Sunday.

Before that, Rammy had beaten Darwen in their first match last month, who finished second last year, and then a Nelson side including current South Africa international batsman Reeza Hendricks.

It is the kind of form which leads you to believe this could be their year. 

But wicketkeeper batsman Parton insisted: “Without sounding too cliché, the priority is still to make sure we secure our place in the top division as soon as possible. 

“The league is split into two next year, so we want to secure top half and take it from there.

“There are some really good teams in the league.

“We have beaten two of the best in Clitheroe and Darwen in the league and cup, which gives us belief.

“But some other teams will be able to turn up and go through the motions to win. For us, we have to play at 100 percent to win games.

“If we manage to win when not at our best, that’s when it will be a sign we can achieve something. So far, all our performances have been at the top end of what we’re capable of.

“It’s been well documented that we’ve lost a very good opening bowler in Simon Read. He’s been one of the best in the league over the last decade. We haven't really replaced him. 

“It means we are trying to create pressure in other ways.”

Those other ways have been strengthening the batting – former Accrington captain Simon Hanson is a new signing, for example – and trying to grind teams down with the ball rather than blow them away.

“It’s worked so far,” said Parton, whose side finished seventh last year, having been champions in 2016. 

“Whether it will for the rest of the season, we’ll wait and see.”

What has delighted Parton is that key performances have been shared around.

“I think we’ve had seven amateur collections for fifties or five-fors, which is huge,” he said.

However, sub professional Daryn Smit, the South African who is currently with Derbyshire, having spent three years as regular pro at Ramsbottom, was their standout in Saturday’s cup win at Clitheroe with a superb unbeaten 109.

He underpinned a 50-over total of 252-5, which was defended to win by 60 runs as left-arm spinner Jon Fielding claimed four wickets.

Smit played again on Sunday before regular pro and South Africa A international Senuran Muthusamy returns this weekend following a national spin bowling camp in India.

On Sunday, Todmorden, who had won two from two in the league, were restricted to 139-8. Fielding returned 5-38. 

Their other Fielding, opener JJ, then helped knock off the runs for the loss of six wickets with 5.5 overs to spare with 59 not out.

Results

GMCL

Premier Division: Denton West 187 Greenmount 189-2, Greenmount won by 8 wkts; Clifton 162-8 Woodbank 163-2, Woodbank won by 8 wkts; Egerton 125 Prestwich 126-9, Prestwich won by 1 wkt.

Division One A: Bury 191-4 Whalley Range 175, Bury won by 16 runs; Flowery Field 196 Walshaw 178, Flowery Field won by 18 runs; Brooksbottom 185 Stayley 96, Brooksbottom won by 89 runs.

Division One B: Stand 173-9 Moorside 159, Stand won by 14 runs; Saddleworth 146 Unsworth 58, Saddleworth won by 88 runs.

Division Two A: Micklehurst 59 Elton Vale 55, Micklehurst won by 4 runs; Clifton second XI 129 East Lancs Paper Mill 131-6, East Lancs Paper Mill won by 4 wkts, Elton 151-9 Droylsden 134, Elton won by 17 runs.

Division Two B: Edenfield 199-9 Austerlands 179, Edenfield won by 20 runs; Radcliffe 120 Ashton 122-4, Ashton won by 6 wkts.

Division Three West: Roe Green second XI 130-8 Tottington St Johns 86, Roe Green won by 44 runs.

Lancashire League

Ramsbottom 140-6 Todmorden 139-8, Ramsbottom won by 4 wkts.

Derek Kay Cup

Round One: Greenmount 163-5 Greenfield 160 , Greenmount won by 5 wkts; Walshaw 196 Stretford 205, Stretford won by 9 runs; Prestwich 132-3 Saddleworth 129-9, Prestwich won by 7 wkts; Bury 242-8 Woodbank 247-9, Woodbank won by 5 runs; Unsworth 120 Denton St Lawrence 234-9, DSL won by 114 runs; Glodwick 148 Stand 98, Glodwick won by 50 runs.