Rain denies Austerlands

THE Greenfield slip cordon waits as Moorside skipper Francis Sutherland tries to work the ball away.

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RAIN denied Austerlands a perfect weekend in the Armstrongs Office Furniture Saddleworth and District Cricket League.

Kevin Du Feu’s side had reduced Bamford Fieldhouse, the reigning champions, to 90 for seven when the heavens opened high above Hollin Lane on Saturday.

After a delay of more than hour, Simon Marshall and Liam Garnett, playing against his former club, steered the hosts to 157 for seven with unbeaten knocks of 62 and 42 respectively.

Time was always against Austerlands and, when stumps were drawn at 7.55pm, they had reached 103 for four. Match drawn.

They were pushed all the way before securing a two-run win over Friarmere 24 hours later. Austerlands’ stand-in professional Saddiq Mohammed was the star of the show with 96 and five for 67.

Austerlands sit second in the table behind Bamford, who were given an almighty fright by Saddleworth yesterday.

Excellent figures of seven for 47 from Steven Holmes had left the home side reeling at 127 all out, but Darren Shadford’s four for 30 and Marshall’s three for seven haul turned the match on its head as Saddleworth, who were seeking a third straight win, were dismissed for a meagre 87.

Returning to Saturday, Glodwick got off the mark with a seven-wicket success at Stayley.

Warren Lane pro Imran Aslam, who only stepped off the plane at 9pm the previous night, claimed eight for 43.

Mudassar Butt made 80 not out as Hollinwood defeated Shaw by eight runs — 64 from overseas amateur Nick van den Bergh was in vain — while the match between Friarmere and Heyside also ended in a draw after a rain interruption.

The rest of yesterday’s action featured an agonising 99 from Moorside skipper Francis Sutherland against previously unbeaten Greenfield (see pictures) .

Backed up by 90 from Richard Baines, the Turf Pit Lane outfit closed on 239. Sutherland’s opposite number Jonathan Ainley took six for 24.

Greenfield were restricted to 140 for seven in reply.

Shaw tasted success for the first time this season as they swept aside Droylsden, who crashed to 72 all out, by 10 wickets.

It was a good day for Shaw’s paid man Warrick Fynn, who collected four for 19 and scored an unbeaten 61.

Heyside also broke their duck as they overcame Hollinwood by 42 runs at Little Hey Street.




AN UNBEATEN century from Graeme Simpson steered Delph to a four-wicket win over Elland in premiership one of the Drakes Huddersfield League.



Simpson struck 103, which included nine fours and eight sixes, in reply to the visitors’ total of 219 for eight. Bilal Khilji chipped in with 48.

Khilji and Aaron Lilly claimed three for 51 and three for 57 respectively in Elland’s innings.

Delph’s second team lost by 32 runs at Broad Oak, who made 189 for nine.