Final frustration!

NOT exactly suitable: the outfield is still under water on the morning of the final.

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ANDY Barton, the Bamford Fieldhouse captain, had to see the funny side after viewing a watery Hollin Lane ground.

A third attempt to play the Tanner Cup final was thwarted by last Friday’s torrential rain.

The outfield closest to the pavilion and car park had turned into a lake, leaving umpires and senior Saddleworth and District Cricket League officials Trevor Harrison and Peter Lilley no choice but to call if off again.

Barton said: “When I turned up on Friday, I just laughed.

“The water was quite deep in parts. I’ve never seen it like that before, it was ridiculous.

“We’ve got a trapdoor near the tree at the side of the ground and when we opened it, we had a whirlpool the water was flowing into it so fast.

“I’ve since been told we had a month’s rainfall in one day.”

Bamford and Heyside will try for a fourth time on Saturday (start noon).

If the weather intervenes again, the final will be played on Saturday, September 20, with an 11.30am start.

Bamford and Heyside are also level on points at the top of the table, with one league game to go.

Barton’s boys, who are the reigning champions, had high hopes of playing at Uppermill last Sunday.

“Standing at the side of the ground, it didn’t look too bad,” said Barton. “But we a had a real heavy shower and the outfield disappeared under water and that was that.”