Professionals giving value for money

GOTCHA . . . Crompton skipper Simon Wright snares Royce Blight leg before wicket during his team’s Wood Cup semi-final against Heywood at Crimble. Picture by Chris Sunderland.

Lake Garage CLL by Keith McHugh

IT’S about this time of the season that clubs start thinking about professionals for next summer.

Of course, some have more spending power than others, but our four local teams will not be unhappy with their recruits for 2008.

KEVIN STOUTE had a hard act to follow in Darren Sammy at Crompton, but the West Indian has helped his side to reach the top of the table.

Ironically, considering he is primarily a batsman, Stoute has shone with the ball and currently tops the professional averages.

He is clearly a hugely-talented stroke player, however, and there are still 12 matches in which to improve his batting figures and reinforce Crompton’s push for the title.

Oldham’s Chinthaka Jayasinghe has been a revelation following his move from Clifton.

Averaging over 50, he has been a matchwinner with the bat on several occasions and is a real crowd-pleaser into the bargain.

Admittedly, his contribution with the ball has not been significant, but Oldham are well blessed in that department so the need for the paid man to take wickets has not been great.

Werneth’s Sri Lankan professional Loku has recovered from a shaky start and has bowled more overs and taken more wickets than any other pro in the league.

His workrate cannot be faulted and while Werneth would like to see more with the bat, Loku’s overall contribution certainly compares favourably with one or two other paid men in the CLL.

As for LUKE PROCTER, Royton must be delighted with his efforts.

In the top half of the batting and bowling averages, the youngster has more than justified his promotion to the paid ranks and continues to improve as an all-rounder.

LAST week’s article, under the headline “Rethink needed over wash-outs”, sparked a reaction in several quarters, including one from Middleton captain John Punchard.

Middleton were one of the teams worst affected by the atrocious weather which caused the Wood Cup quarter-finals to continue into a second week.

With their South African professional Werner Coetsee away on international duty, Middleton employed Pasan Wanasinge, from Northern League club Barrow, as their stand-in pro.

When rain washed out play on the Sunday on which the tie against Ashton started, Wanasinge was 14 not out.

But the subsequent downpours ruled out any chance of play that week and when the game resumed on the Monday night eight days after the start, Wanasinge was not released to play by Barrow, who also had a game the following night.

Said Punchard: “In effect, we played all but 18 overs without a professional.

“This is the only instance in my 35 years of playing league cricket that I can recall a deputy pro not fulfilling his engagement, having started the fixture.”

Middleton were also hampered by having an amateur missing during the second week of the game and Punchard, like myself, believes new contingency plans should be drawn up by the CLL in a bid to produce a fairer outcome to matches.

He added: “My idea is to have one reserve date for each round and if the match cannot be completed on that date, either by run rate or result, then a bowl-out should take place.

“It’s not ideal, but we cannot have games being completed with several players unable to attend.”


Oldham on the move

OLDHAM are within striking distance of the top teams in the Lake Garage CLL table thanks to their victory over Littleborough on Saturday.

Every other league game was cancelled without a ball being bowled.

Oldham will bid to continue their title challenge this weekend, but first they have a John Willie Lees Twenty20 Cup semi-final at home to Monton and Weaste tomorrow (6.15pm).

Unsworth entertain Walsden in the other semi-final.