Make-or-break
Date published: 08 July 2009
Photo: ANTHONY MILLER
STRIDING OUT: Bradley Hadfield, of Saddleworth ‘A’, unleashes another delivery.
VICTORY is a must for the Saddleworth and District Cricket League on Sunday if they are to keep alive their Inter-League Colts Trophy hopes.
After losing their opening group game, it’s make or break for Steve Taylor’s side when they lock horns with the Lancashire County League at Denton West.
It’s a tough test but at least they know what they are up against as their opponents feature three familiar names.
Adam Hayes, the captain, Chris Gill and Alex Peters, first-team regulars at Greenfield, have been chosen as the club’s under-17s play in the Lancashire County League.
The match gets under way at 1.30pm.
The Saddleworth League complete their programme at home to North Lancs/South Cumbria League on Sunday, August 9.
Saddleworth League: S Taylor (capt, Saddleworth), D Gill (Greenfield), M Bird (Uppermill), A Uppal (Droylsden), L Du Feu, A Sunderland (both Austerlands), W Ahmed (wkt, Glodwick), B Ingham (Friarmere), A Good, M Chadwick (Shaw), M Jones (Stayley), C Burn (Bamford Fieldhouse).
Stayley spoil Taylor’s effort
AN unbeaten 53 from Steve Taylor was to no avail as Saddleworth bowed out at the last-eight stage of the under-17s Romida Trophy.
The all-rounder’s knock lifted the Well-i-Hole lads to 142 for four but Stayley, who are second behind Saddleworth in the table, reached their target for the loss of only two wickets.
Michael Jones, Taylor’s team-mate in the league’s Colts side, was 51 not out at the death.
Stayley are at home to Austerlands in the semi-finals after the Thorpe Lane outfit defeated Glodwick by eight runs.
After posting 98 for five, Austerlands restricted their opponents to 90 for eight.
Second-bottom Uppermill (131 for eight) are also in the last four after they overcame Heyside, who made 126 for eight.
They will play Droylsden after the Oakfield outfit defeated Shaw, who were bowled out for 68, by 20 runs.
The ties will take place on Wednesday, July 22.
Berry shows the way for Austerlands
AUSTERLANDS all-rounder Tom Berry produced a fine individual display against Hollinwood in the under-13s section of the Saddleworth and District Cricket League.
He scored 20 in his side’s total of 112 for five — Luke Ellis made 30 — and took four wickets for no runs as their opponents were dismissed for 68.
An unbeaten 22 from James Howard was in vain as Saddleworth ‘B’, who scored 86 for five, went down by eight wickets to Shaw.
Adam Wardle claimed three for six, before Harry Sherrif weighed in with 22 in the successful run chase.
Charlie Price and Jamie Taylor both retired on 30 as Moorside, who amassed 117 for four, defeated Royton by 47 runs, while Jamie Symonds also struck 30 as Glodwick recorded a seven-wicket win over Uppermill.
Droylsden had high hopes of upsetting table-toppers Saddleworth ‘A’ after they posted 107 for seven. Robert Cicchirillo hit 32.
But the Well-i-Hole youngsters had other ideas, and they reached their target without losing a wicket. Harry Gee and Ellis Helire retired on 30 apiece.
Ahmed Nawaz compiled 29 not out for mid-table Bamford Fieldhouse, who overcame Heyside by four wickets.
Scores —
Heyside 85-8, Bamford Fieldhouse 86-6; Saddleworth ‘B’ 86-5, Shaw 87-2; Uppermill 69, Glodwick 70-3; Droylsden 107-7, Saddleworth ‘A’ 108-0; Moorside 117-4, Royton 70-5; Austerlands 112-5, Hollinwood 68.
Slick Shaw stay on course for Shield repeat
HOLDERS Shaw ‘A’ avenged their recent Saddleworth and District Cricket League defeat at the hands of Stayley by making smooth progress into under-15s Leicester Shield final.
They won by seven wickets and will meet Austerlands in the final after the Thorpe Lane outfit overcame Saddleworth ‘A’.
Shaw were soon on top against Stayley, reducing their opponents to 11 for three.
A partnership between Liam Evans (11) and Tom Read (18) looked to have steadied the ship, but they were both dismissed in one over from Tom Needham-Barton, which included a stunning caught and bowled.
Shaw carved their way through the remainder of the batting line up, claiming the last six wickets for only 11 runs as Stayley crashed to 50 all out.
Drew Fullalove was the pick of the bowlers, with three for five from 3.4 overs.
Shaw didn’t have it all their own way in reply. Both openers were back in the pavilion with only eight runs on the board, and when the reliable Fullalove was dismissed, they had slipped to 19 for three.
But an unbroken partnership of 34 from Graham Sinclair (eight) and Joe Burgoyne (25) saw Shaw home with seven overs to spare.
The Austerlands batsmen laid the foundations for their 48-run win.
Luke Du Feu hit a superb 51 — he retired after reaching his half-century — to lift his side to a 134 for five.
Saddleworth, who were playing their third game in as many days, were kept in check by a decent spell from Andrew Cadd.
At 64 for five with eight overs to go, the lads from Well-i-Hole had to get a move on.
But two runs outs and a wicket from Luke Ellis ripped out Saddleworth’s middle-order and they were eventually bowled out for 86.
The eagerly-awaited final will take place on Monday, August 31 at Thorpe Lane (start 2pm).
Scores —
Stayley 50, Shaw ‘A’ 53-3; Austerlands 134-5, Saddleworth ‘A’ 86.
Under-11s seek instant revenge
OLDHAM Schools under-11s can exact instant revenge on Tameside in the Lancashire Schools’ Merit League tomorrow.
The two teams, who met only days earlier, go head to head at Delph Cricket Club (start 4pm).
Oldham restricted Tameside to 123 for seven from 30 overs in their first meeting. Hulme’s Bradley Cruse, with four for nine, was the chief destroyer.
But the town team’s hopes of securing victory were dashed by a disappointing batting display as they crashed to 90 all out. James Howard, of St Chadd’s, made 16.
Meanwhile, the under-13s return to Merit League action on July 15 against Tameside.
Touhy holds nerve
HEYSIDE ‘A’ are still riding high in the under-15s division of the Saddleworth and District Cricket League after a dramatic last-ball win at Saddleworth ‘A’.
The hosts managed 122 for six, thanks to 39 from Sam Rhodes and Mark Hayley’s 30. James Lord claimed two for 20.
Matt Robinson (36) and Daniel Robertson (30) were among the runs but, requiring 23 from the final two overs, Heyside looked to have it all to do against a Saddleworth side unbeaten in the league.
They eventually needed six from two balls — still a tall order — but Ben Touhy rose to the occasion, hitting a four and scampering a two in a thrilling finale.
Shaw ‘A’, in second place, recorded an easy victory at Uppermill.
The home side, depleted because of a school match, were grateful to Jake Crowther’s 50 in a total of 75 all out.
Openers Tom Rowlands and Joe Burgoyne (22 not out) were on course to carry Shaw over the winning line until the former was dismissed for 44, which left Elliot Birtwistle to score the two runs needed for victory.
Nathan Mayall was unbeaten on 47 for Austerlands, who accumulated a respectable 137 for five against Heyside ‘B’.
The Little Hey Street outfit lost a cluster of early wickets — Luke Du Feu may have failed with the bat but he took four for 15 with the ball — but a late recovery saw them eight runs short of victory.
Matthew Toop made a fine 51 not out.
The match between Shaw ‘B’ and Stayley at Holebottom Clough was also decided on the last ball.
Stayley started like a house on fire, scoring 60 in the first eight overs.
But an interruption for rain slowed the run fest and when play resumed, Shaw dismissed their opponents for the addition of only 33 runs.
Adam Wardle, Henry Dyson and Ciaran Hamilton, who all stepped up from the under-13s, took two wickets apiece.
Shaw recovered from 20 for three to require nine runs from the last over.
A four off the first ball relieved some of the pressure, but Lawrie Hughes was bowled and the pendulum swung back in Stayley’s favour.
Shaw needed four runs from the final delivery, but they could only run two to hand Stayley victory by the narrowest of margins.
Second-bottom Moorside were always up against it after Droylsden had registered 144 for one from their 20 overs. Dale Evans and Evan Wood both retired on 51.
Moorside were never in the hunt and they eventually closed on 61 for three.
Playing only their fourth game of the season because of walkovers, Bamford Fieldhouse proved too strong for Saddleworth ‘B’.
Bamford amassed 145 for two, before restricting the visitors to 93 for eight.
Scores —
Saddleworth ‘A’ 122-6, Heyside ‘A’ 123-6; Uppermill 72, Shaw ‘A’ 73-1; Austerlands 137-5, Heyside ‘B’ 130; Stayley 93, Shaw ‘B’ 92-4; Droylsden 144-1, Moorside 61-3; Bamford Fieldhouse 145-2, Saddleworth ‘B’ 93-8.
