Boiling point in promotion race

CLOSE CALL... for Werneth professional Mohammed Zaman Khan as Royton five-wicket hero Adam Good almost gets through in last weekend’s Paddock showdown.

CRICKET: 

ONLY a few weeks ago Monton and Weaste and Milnrow looked certainties in the race to be promoted from the Lake Garage CLL Championship.

But such has been the recent form of Unsworth and Crompton that the duo’s places in next year’s Premier Division are now in serious jeopardy.

Milnrow have dropped to fourth in the table, their hopes dealt a severe blow when Crompton won at Ladyhouse on Sunday.

That win complemented an easy one for Simon Wright’s men at home to Oldham 24 hours earlier, but the Glebe Street side still can’t quite force its way into the top two.

That’s because Unsworth has matched them blow for blow in recent weeks and is currently second, two points ahead of the local team.

All this has had a destabilising effect on Milnrow, but leaders Monton and Weaste must be worried too - miles clear at one stage, now only three points ahead of Unsworth and five clear of Crompton.

Things could get even worse for them by Sunday night once they have played host to Crompton in a potentially pivotal promotion clash.

There are critics of the two-tier system currently employed by the CLL. Those against claim boredom with a repetitive format that pitches teams together four times a season.

But there have been key relegation and promotion games in the last fortnight involving teams who would otherwise have been languishing in mid-table with little to play for.

Meaningful cricket has been the aim and in that respect, at least, the CLL delegates who voted for it have got their wish.