Pro blow hits Oldham hopes

WERNETH wicketkeeper Nathan Griffin celebrates as Monton’s Trent Scott is bowled by Andy Walker in their cup clash.

Saturday CLL

OLDHAM were incensed by a controversial umpiring decision in their 35-runs Lake Garage CLL defeat at the hands of Heywood at the Pollards on Saturday.

Chasing 242 for victory and going along nicely on 107 for two, Oldham were stunned when professional Chinthaka Jayasinghe was given out leg before wicket for 48 off the bowling of Steven Cheetham.

Jayasinghe had been taking a heavy toll of the Heywood bowling and, along with overseas amateur Nick Maree, had been threatening to guide Oldham to a comfortable and much-needed victory against one of the main title contenders.

Skipper Mel Whittle said: “It was an horrendous decision. He was 12 feet down the pitch and it was going down the leg side.

“Yet we had one appeal turned down when a batsmen was hit on the foot inside the crease in front of the stumps.”

Spectators and one or two Oldham players shouted their displeasure at the umpire who made the decision, prompting the official to approach Whittle.

Said Whittle: “He said there was nothing he could do about the spectators complaining, but that our players had to accept it.”

With Jayasinghe gone, Oldham’s hopes rested on Maree, but his dismissal for 46 proved decisive and Oldham were eventually bowled out for 206 despite a late flurry from Stuart Moore. Cheetham’s five-wicket haul cost him 65 runs.

Earlier, Tom Hardman survived a couple of strong shouts for leg before wicket on his way to 103 in Heywood’s total of 241 for five. Liam Garnett was Oldham’s most successful bowler with three for 92.

CROMPTON maintained their title challenge with a dramatic one-wicket victory over Unsworth at Glebe Street.

In a match reduced to 45 overs per side, Unsworth were put in to bat by Crompton, who restricted them to 171 for six despite a fine knock of 79 from opening batsman Paul Manley.

Simon Wright was Crompton’s most effective bowler with five for 37, stemming the flow of runs after an opening stand of 67 from Manley and Azhar Sharif.

Darren Graham and professional Kevin Stoute also produced a first-wicket half-century stand, but after reaching 100 for three and seemingly in a position of strength, Crompton started to lose wickets with regularity.

Not for the first time this season, young Majid Khan came to their resuce.

The teenager kept his cool with a vital unbeaten 21 as Crompton passed Unsworth’s score with a single wicket to spare.

Unsworth professional Wayne Madsen took four for 27, while Liam Richards chipped in with four for 35.

ROYTON’S hopes of mounting a title challenge suffered a blow when they went down by 10 runs to Norden in a match reduced to 30 overs.

Taking first guard at Woodhouse Lane, Norden were restricted to 135 for nine by Royton, for whom Luke Procter’s seven for 72 included a hat-trick.

Royton had their chance to secure a vital win against their fellow title contenders, but fell 10 runs short, being bowled out for 125 as Norden’s overseas amateur Zane Arthur collected eight wickets for 71 runs.

WERNETH lost to Wood Cup quarter-final opponents Monton and Weaste by eight wickets in a match reduced to 32 overs per side.

Andy Walker’s men took first guard and made 119 for eight, professional Loku scoring 57 and Craig Duxbury taking three for 32.

That target proved to be well within Monton’s reach, the home side reaching 120 for two thanks to Lee Dale’s 66.

Scores are –

Ashton 161 (Daniel 78, N Avery 6-67), Rochdale 172 (Holder 86, Ayres 38, Abid 7-40); Crompton 172-9 (Stoute 49, Richards 4–35, Madsen 4-27), Unsworth 171-6 (Manley 79, Si Wright 5-37); Littleborough 160-8 (Keiser 49, Malik 3-33), Clifton 144-8 (Nisar 35, Deakin 3-38, Hussain 4-76); Middleton 159-8 (Roberts 44, Punchard 37), Milnrow 160-5 (Ahmed 58 n.o., Highton 3–31); Monton and Weaste 120-2 (Dale 66), Werneth 119-8 (Loku 57, Duxbury 3-32); Norden 135-9 (Procter 7-72), Royton 125 (Arthur 8-71); Oldham 206 (Jayasinghe 48, Maree 46, Cheetham 5-65), Heywood 241-5 (Hardman 103, Garnett 3-92); Radcliffe 132–2 (Tariq 55, Raza 30n.o.), Walsden 131-9 (Sandri 4-31).