Major frustration at league wash-out

Greenfield v Rochdale, cricket match at Greenfield, Heavy rain dogged the start and play of the match. Players pull over the rain covers.

PLAYERS and officials were left kicking their heels after wet weather wrecked the weekend's action in the JW Lees Bitter Pennine Cricket League.

Heavy and persistent rain put paid to all but one of the 12 fixtures in the Tom Hardman Twenty20 Cup, while Saturday's league programme was completely washed out despite the best efforts of the clubs in attempting to get grounds fit for action.

Middleton's T20 Group 'C' encounter at home to Werneth ­- reduced to 13 overs per side ­- did go ahead on Friday evening.

Winning the toss and choosing to bat, the hosts accumulated 103 for one, with Harry Gee and Ernest Kemm unbeaten on 52 and 35 respectively.

Azam Hussain took the only wicket to fall when he trapped Zain Tahir (four) leg before.

In reply, Werneth were restricted to 82 for nine.

With rain falling and an unfavourable forecast, league secretary Trevor Harrison sent out emails on Friday afternoon to stop teams travelling for the T20 games as reports were coming in that grounds were unfit, even for bowl-outs.

The outcome of the 11 matches that were not played will be reviewed by the league.