A last-wicket stand of 52 for the home side in this replayed fixture practically proved to be the difference between the two sides in a match which always looked likely to be affected by rain but was only shortened by 3 overs per side after showers and stoppages proved brief.

Church once again had Mark Aspin to thank for stepping in as sub pro but Mark wasn't able to tap into the old magic and only made two as Church's reply to Rocky's 188 all out fell 66 short.

Church had also missed an early chance to put their hosts in trouble when Sam Holt missed a sharp return catch offered by Rawtenstall pro Andy Payne but even though he went on to make 52, Philip Gilrane's side looked to have a stranglehold at 117 for seven, then 136 for nine.

The captain picked up catches at cover to remove Danny Barlow and Andy Clough during Levi Wolfenden's opening spell and Sam Holt induced Josh Rushmore to sky a catch to Phil Sykes. When Andy Bentley, delivering his best spell of the season, bowled Dominic Bulcock then trapped Payne, Church were entitled to think they had got rid of the danger men with half the side out for 87 and Andy Riley snapped up at short leg by Greenwood off the captain to follow.

But the latter Rawtenstall batsmen showed greater application than the top of the order and illustrated the value of using the full allocation of overs however sedate a pace the scoring might chug along at.

Levi, Bentley and Philip all ended with three wickets but last pair Shafiq and Barnes swung the initiative back to the home side with that 10th wicket stand, sometimes riding their luck but only broken with the last ball of the innings.

Some sloppy catching and the inevitable fortuitous plops over the short boundary further frustrated the West Enders.

In reply, Sag Hussain and Ryan North posted a largely untroubled 37 at which point Sag, possibly frustrated at lack of strike, was bowled by Shafiq.

There wasn't to be another partnership as large as that as wickets tumbled regularly.

North edged Toby Bulcock to the keeper for 22 and Adam Greenwood, again looking in fine nick, fell victim to sharp work by Payne, who ran him out from slip after another edge to the slow left-armer.

Phil Sykes and Sam Holt were the only other batsmen in double figures as Bulcock wheeled away and Payne went through the tail on a day when Church pocketed just the two bonus bowling points.