Stayley pair star for classy Colts

STAYLEY young guns Alex Peters and Miles Barnes were the stars of the show for the Saddleworth and District Cricket League against the Bolton Association at Moorside CBC.

Peters top-scored with 60 and Barnes bagged four for 22 from seven overs as the representative team made it two wins out of the two in the group stage of the Colts Inter-League Trophy.

The Saddleworth League were emphatic 100-run winners after they posted 198 for seven from their 45 overs.

Peters and Droylsden’s Aaquib Uppal (28) added 64 for the first wicket, before Greenfield’s Adam Hayes (39) joined the Stayley teenager to put on 77 in 12 overs.

A lusty 20 from Steve Taylor, of Saddleworth, kept the scoreboard ticking over after a cluster of wickets gave the Bolton Association a toehold in the game.

But the visitors were soon in trouble on a drying wicket.

An aggressive opening spell from man-of-the-match Barnes, who also held a brilliant slip catch, reduced the Bolton Association to 20 for five.

Captain Scott Rowbottom and Taylor joined the party with a wicket apiece, before Greenfield’s Dominic Gill struck twice to wrap things up.

Meanwhile, club bragging rights will be up for grabs in the under-13s final.

Saddleworth ‘A’ and ‘B’ teams will go head to head after they won their respective last-four ties.

The ‘A’ team, despite missing six regulars because of a school holiday, recovered from losing two wickets in Luke Ellis’ opening over to defeat Austerlands by 11 runs.

Richard Hunsley and Edward Crowther steadied ship, both retiring on 30 in a total of 90 for five.

David Percival, also with 30, led Austerlands’ reply, but they short in the run chase.

Saddleworth ‘B’, too, overcame from an inauspicious start — Adam Temple and Ben Corbett were run out off successive balls — to post 110 for five against local rivals Uppermill.

John Rhodes and Harry Gee led the recovery with 31 apiece, before Farak Shaghir’s haul of three for 12 helped dismiss their opponents for just 50.

There was late drama in the re-arranged league match between Glodwick and Heyside.

In a low-scoring encounter, Heyside required two runs from the final over with the last pair at the crease.

Price got the single to tie the game, but Stott was then bowled by JJ Rigby with two balls left.

Luke Graham had earlier scored a fine 31 for Heyside.

The weather put paid to Bamford Fieldhouse’s hopes of joining Shaw at the top of the table.

Victory over Droylsden would have put them level on points with the Holebottom Clough outfit, the match was called off without a ball being bowled.

Scores —

Under-13s Cup semi-finals: Saddleworth ‘B’ 110-5, Uppermill 50; Austerlands 79-5, Saddleworth ‘A’ 90-5.

Under-13s league: Glodwick 67-8, Heyside 67; Bamford Fieldhouse v Droylsden — no play, unfit ground.