Delph aiming to avoid cup final repeat

BRUCE CRUSE: Key man for Delph

CAPTAIN Grant Jones is hoping to avoid a repeat of Delph’s only other Romida Sykes Cup final appearance when they meet in-form Barkisland at Honley Cricket Club on Sunday (1.30pm).

The club, this season’s Examiner Twenty20 Trophy winners, lost heavily to Honley in 2005 when, like this year, they were without all-rounder Kyle Hogg because of Lancashire commitments.

Jones said: “We should be a bit more wiser this time, because we didn’t show up that day.

“We’ve got plenty of experience in the side with the likes of Bruce Cruse, Bilal Khilji and Jamie Haynes. They have played in big games before, so they know what it’s all about it.

“Barkisland possess lots of self-belief. They were seemingly down and out against Elland in their semi-final, but they somehow managed to pull it out of the fire.”

Hogg is on Red Rose duty — he is playing against Worcestershire in a Pro 40 game — while Warren Jones is unavailable.

Barkisland, who are second in premiership one, four places above Delph, may be without star overseas player Love Ablish.

The all-rounder is back home in India because of a family bereavement and captain Paul Winrow rates his chances of returning for the final as “50-50”.

Senior middle-order batsman Andrew Fraine is definitely missing. He scored 39 in the last-four win over Elland.

Jones added: “To lose Kyle is a blow, but we’ve played 10 games without him this season. When he does play it’s a bonus, but he’s not here so we’ll have to deal with it.

“I still think Barkisland’s overseas player will be back and that’s what we’ve been planning for.

“Barkisland are going well, but if we can make inroads into their top four, then we’ll be confident of exploit their weaknesses further down the order.

“It’s a similar scenario with their bowlers. We’ll be looking to see off the openers before trying to up the tempo when the first-change men come on.”

One player for the big occasion is Cruse, the former Shaw professional.

He scored an unbeaten 101 in the recent Twenty20 Trophy success against Honley and is a key man for Delph at the top of the order.