Title race at boiling point

JAVON SEARLES: Wickets and runs against Werneth.

WITH half-a-dozen games to go, things are hotting up at the top of the Lake Garage CLL.

And two of our teams, Oldham and Crompton, are firmly in the mix for top honours.

Although they trail Heywood by five and six points respectively, that could all change this weekend.

On Saturday, Mel Whittle’s Oldham visit Heywood and Crompton go to lowly Milnrow.

Sunday sees Oldham at home to Werneth, while Crompton play host to Royton in an eagerly-awaited local derby tussle.

Whittle must be pinching himself at the way his side have powered up the table in the last couple of months.

Red-hot Oldham have reeled off eight wins on the bounce to climb to second place and right behind this season’s Wood Cup beaten finalists.

Their latest success, a nine-wicket defeat of Royton, came 24 hours after they brushed aside Unsworth, which was one of only two games on that day to survive the wet weather.

Another weekend win double could see the Pollards outfit riding high at the top of the standings.

But Sunday’s visitors Werneth might have something to say about that. Desperate to avoid the wooden spoon, they too face an important couple of days.

They are at home to Middleton, who sit one place below them in second bottom, on Saturday.

Crompton, for so long the leading local team in the CLL, will be eager to keep tabs on the top two.

With Javon Searles in prime form — he took five for 53 and hit 37 against Werneth in his most recent outing — they should be too strong for their opponents this weekend.

They had a chance of putting one over Heywood last Saturday, until the heavens opened.

Royton, who kick-off at home to Norden, were fortunate to avoid back-to-back defeats last weekend and captain Guy Lovell will be hoping for an improved display.

The Paddock club’s match at Monton and Weaste was curtailed by rain when they were 77 for seven in reply to 217, but they had no such luck against Oldham.