Todmorden skipper Andrew Sutcliffe admits his side are “behind where we want to be” at this stage of the Lancashire League season.
Last year’s 10th-placed finishers occupy the same berth at the moment but the Centre Vale men have been harder hit than most by poor weather, twice having games rained off when the rest of the programme was completed.
The latest instance came last Sunday at home to Ramsbottom, but Sutcliffe’s men must put that behind them ahead of a big weekend of action.
Sutcliffe’s men start their T20 campaign against Nelson at Centre Vale on Friday (6pm) and then play bottom side Burnley on successive days, at home in the Worsley Cup quarter final on Saturday and away in the league on Sunday.
They will be hoping for better luck than last weekend, when Saturday’s game at Rawtenstall also fell victim to heavy rain.
Saturday’s whole Lancashire League programme was called off before 2pm and the fixtures will be replayed on Saturday, July 26.
On Sunday, Tod were 17 without loss in reply to Ramsbottom’s 254 for two - which included an unbeaten 129 from opener Tom Parton - when the heavens opened and made further play impossible.
Sutcliffe said: “We were left very frustrated on Sunday as we were the only game not to finish and this is the second time this has happened this season.
“From these two games - the other one was away to Colne - we only got six points whilst some of our competitors have had the opportunity to bag the full 24 points
“That has left us behind where we want to be at this stage in the season.”
Sutcliffe elected to bowl first on Sunday, despite the pitch being a good one, because the rain was forecast.
“If we had managed to get back on we would have needed 140 off 20 overs to win, which would have been an exciting finish,” he said.
“However, the ground was totally unfit following the rain storm.
“ You can never get too frustrated by the weather as it is the only thing you cannot control so we will look forward to next weekend.”
Burnley are the Worsley Cup holders. They beat Colne by seven wickets at Turf Moor in the first round with the help of David Brown’s 82 from 44 balls. Tod had a bye.
Burnley lost by five wickets at Accrington last Sunday - their eighth defeat in eight completed games this season.
Sutcliffe must decide who will open the innings this weekend because prolific left-hander Simon Newbitt is unavailable.
Veteran seamer Gideon Foster missed the T20 game and Matt Brierley is unavailable on Sunday.
LANCASHIRE LEAGUE
Todmorden v Ramsbottom
Match abandoned. Todmorden 3 pts, Ramsbottom 3 pts
RAMSBOTTOM 254 for two
J Pilling c Senior b Foster 24
TE Parton not out 129
D Smit c Senior b A Sutcliffe 77
JM Fielding not out 3
Extras 21
Bowling: Neser 17 1 55 0, Foster 12 0 44 1, Senior 5.4 0 46 0, Gilford 0.2 0 3 0, A Sutcliffe 12 0 83 1, Priestley 3 0 16 0.
TODMORDEN 17 for none
SD Newbitt not out 12
BD Sutcliffe not out 4
Extras 1
Bowling: Haslam 4 2 3 0, EJ Read 3 0 13 0.