Big-hitters in Sunday showdown

IT’S fast, it’s exciting and it’s all happening at Uppermill Cricket Club this weekend.

The semi-finals and final of this season’s Twenty20 competition takes place at Leefields on Sunday.

And if current form in the Saddleworth and District Cricket League is anything to go by, then the host club must be the preferred choice to come out on top.

Uppermill have won their last seven games in the league — they defeated Bamford Fieldhouse and Hollinwood in that sequence — to go second in the table.

With a trip to leaders Heyside on Saturday, it’s a weekend of great importance for the high-flyers — a fact not lost on captain Matt Taylor, who is quick to play down his side’s chances on Sunday.

He said: “From a personal point of view, I’d prefer to beat Heyside, but this is still a big day for the club.

“Twenty20 is a freak of a game, so form is not an issue, but as always we’ll play hard and go for it.

“It will be nice to play in the competition. I was on holiday for the first round tie while we won in a bowl-out in the quarter-final. In fact, I may not even get picked!”

Hollinwood’s semi-final against hosts Uppermill (start 1.30pm) is their first game in this season’s competition, sponsored by 20-20 Vision.

After a bye in round one, they overcame Stayley in a bowl-out when rain wrecked any chance of play.

Hollinwood’s only hope of silverware this season rests with the Twenty20 — remember, they were docked a bucketload points in the league and were thrown out of the Tanner Cup for fielding an ineligible player — and the small Leefields ground is bound to suit their big-hitting batsmen.

Skipper John Winterbottom said: “With the likes of Qasar Riaz, Aamir Bashir, Mudassar Butt and Shahzad Sadaqat in our side, with have players who like to play their shots.

“Uppermill is one of Qasar’s favourite grounds — he always seems to score runs there — and if we are going to take something from this season, this is our one and only chance.”

Meanwhile, Dave Andrew says the pressure is off Shaw, the current holders.

They were expected to win in 2007 — and did so by beating Friarmere in the final after overcoming Uppermill in the last four.

However, they have gone from favourites 12 months ago to outsiders this time round after a year of personnel change at Holebottom Clough.

Andrew, who will let Rick Harrington skipper the side, said: “We’ve had a few struggles and strains this season, but we’ve got an opportunity to win some silverware and we’ll go out to enjoy it.

“I think the short game suits us and, unlike last year, we’re under no pressure.

“I wasn’t going to play, but Mike Small is unavailable. We start at 10.30am, so I may go for a nice, big breakfast just to complete my pre-match preparation!”

They face Moorside in the first semi-final, and opposite number Lee Warburton reckons his side are well-equipped for the rigours of the short game despite the absence of Richard Baines.

Warburton said: “Richard has been scoring a lot of runs lately and has also been keeping well, but Francis Sutherland is back after a week off and he is a big player for us at the top of the order.

“Peter Broadhurst and Lloyd Kingston opened against Glodwick last Saturday and put on 90-odd. We’ve also got the likes of Alan Durose and Kashif Khan to come in and Kashif can hit the ball along way.

“With Alan and Lloyd in the side, we’ve also got two recognised spinners, and that type of bowler has proved effective in Twenty20.

“Leaving aside the Saddleworth defeat, Shaw have had a couple of good results lately, but we’re confident of reaching the final.”