Sights set on gaining hat-trick of trophies

Photo: Tim Bradley

BIG SMILES . . . the Moore Cup finalists - Heyside and Oldham - are pictured, fronted by (left to right): Oldham captain Fiaz Khan and Heyside counterpart Mark Barnes

OLDHAM Cricket Club chairman Rashid Hussain has set his sights on a hat-trick of trophies.

An emotional Hussain spoke of his silverware target after watching the second XI secure the Moore Cup with a thrilling six-run win over Heyside.

He is also paid a warm tribute to president Harold Brierley.

The Pollards club are enjoying the bright lights of success, but it hasn't always been that way.

Times have been tough for Oldham in recent years.

Hussain admitted the club was "on its knees" in 2013 after a clutch of senior players left and with no juniors to step up.

It remains a struggle for the firsts, who are in the lower reaches of the JW Lees Brewery Pennine Cricket League.

The second team are riding the crest of a wave, though. They won their Championship last year and with the Moore Cup in the bag, Hussain hopes to round off 2107 by taking the Premiership title. They currently sit third in the standings.

He said: "This was exactly what we needed.

"The work that has gone in since 2013, trying to put a team together without a junior section, has been quite difficult.

"To get the players to play as one unit, from different backgrounds, different clubs, and not to display any selfishness, was evident in winning the Moore Cup.

"It shows there is a lot of talent out there.

"WINNING"

"My aim was to get Oldham back to their winning days ­- and it's been quite a while since we won a final.

"I think we'll go for the treble now and if we achieve that it would be absolutely great. I have to thank Harold Brierley, our president. Without him, I don't think Oldham would still be here. His support for the club has been phenomenal."

Hussain was able to relish the game, even though it went right down to the wire.

Batting first, Oldham made 205, which included 51 from man-of-the-match Mubasher Khan.

Heyside were 12 for three in reply, but thanks to James Lord's superb 94, they fought back to get within seven runs of a remarkable victory in front of their own fans.

Hussain added: "It was a great game, it wasn't one-sided, and we showed a tremendous character at the end, because it nearly got away from us.

"All that we prepared for, all that we geared up for, it paid off.

"The composure and concentration shown by the players was kept up right through until the end. The game was in our hands and then out of our hands."

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