Shaw on course for title repeat

HOLDERS Shaw will go head to head with Moorside in the first semi-final of the Twenty20 Cup at Uppermill Cricket Club.

The other last-four tie will see the hosts take on Hollinwood. Both matches, as well as the final, will be held on Sunday, July 20, with start times to be advised.

Shaw defeated Friarmere to lift the trophy 12 months ago and complete a double in the Armstrongs Office Furniture Saddleworth and District Cricket League.

They had clinched the Tanner Cup a month earlier and were well on their way to finishing third in the table.

Much has changed at Holebottom Clough since then — almost half of the side who played for Shaw in the Twenty20 Cup final have left — but the bond between the players under Dave Andrew’s leadership seems stronger than ever before.

Opponents Moorside are going great guns — they sit joint third in the table — and will be favourites to go through.

They possess a varied bowling attack with the likes of spin twins, professional Alan Durose and overseas amateur Lloyd Kingston, and the medium pace threat of captain Lee Warburton.

Uppermill will be hoping to emulate Saddleworth in 2006 and be crowned champions of the competition, sponsored by 20-20 Vision, in front of their own supporters.

Confidence is sky-high at Leefields at the moment, with captain Matt Taylor, who took over the reins from James Baron at the end of May, steering his side to five straight wins in the league.

After their title and Tanner Cup aspirations was wrecked by unintentionally fielding an ineligible player, this is Hollinwood’s only chance of success this season.

Meanwhile, patience was a virtue in the quarter-final between Stayley and Hollinwood at Millbrook.

The tie was decided by a bowl-out after rain ruined any hope of play.

And, after 27 attempts at a set of wickets which took about 10 minutes, we had a winner — Rashid Khan being the hero for Hollinwood.

“I’m sure if I had been bowling it would have been over sooner rather than later,” said captain John Winterbottom with tongue placed firmly in cheek.

“What tends to happen in these situations, the bowlers change their action and as a result the ball loops over the stumps. Rashid bowled his quicker one in the end and, thankfully, that did the trick.”