Werneth cop it as cup dream dies

Photo: Chris Sunderland

NOT THIS TIME: Werneth captain Andy Walker survives a chance off Lee Grogan. PICTURES by CHRIS SUNDERLAND

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Walker’s men masters of their own downfall

ALMOST as though struck by stagefright, Werneth bowed out of the John Willie Lees Wood Cup at the hands of competition experts Heywood at the Coppice yesterday.

All seemed set fair for Andy Walker’s men when the skipper won the toss and elected to bat first under a brilliant, blue sky.

But after only 38.5 overs, Werneth’s cup dreams lay in tatters, their side bowled out for a desperately-disappointing 104.

The wicket played few tricks despite a tinge of green. Basically, the majority of the Werneth batsmen gave their wickets away as they tried to force the pace against a side who know how to apply pressure, particularly in the cauldron of Wood Cup battle. Four trophy-winning campaigns and six finals in as many seasons was the impressive record Heywood brought to the Coppice.

With such a modest total to chase, a streetwise Heywood side were never going to let slip their grip on the game.

Led by stand-in professional Brendan Taylor, they reached their target for the loss of two wickets after just 20 overs. It was all over at 5.25pm and Werneth knew they had not come anywhere near to doing themselves justice on a big day for the club.

It all started so horribly wrong for Werneth. With Pierre Joubert on his way back to South Africa, his fellow countryman Hendrick van der Dussen stepped into the breach and, to his credit, volunteered to open the innings.

But the current Fleetwood professional did not see out Will Purser’s first over, edging to the grateful Royce Blight at slip without troubling the scorer.

Skipper Andy Walker and Alan Durose threatened to make light of that setback, putting on 42 for the second wicket in good time.

But when Durose played on to one that nipped back from the under-rated Lee Grogan and Walker holed out to Chris Kaye at mid-on off the same bowler, Werneth were on the ropes at 48 for three.

Worse was to follow. Mark Dronsfield was leg before to Tom Hardman for a duck and, despite John Slater’s best efforts in a spirited knock of 19, Werneth slumped to 82 for eight, mainly due to a series of injudicious shots and poor running.

It was obvious to onlookers that Werneth needed to bat their overs out and see what sort of total they could scramble, but Slater himself — stumped while trying to charge Rob Slawson — and overseas amateur Jeff Rogerson, needlessly run out, were among the biggest culprits in a Werneth suicide squad.

Andy Fink and Michael Wilson showed what could be achieved in a ninth-wicket stand of 22, but when Wilson hit Kaye straight to Michael Grogan at short cover, Werneth were 104 for nine.

And they were put out of their misery when Gareth Lees skied to mid-on, where Purser took a well-judged catch to provide man-of-the-match Kaye with his third victim.

Werneth needed a swift response, but Rogerson’s first over went for 14 and it failed to get much better despite the removal of Heywood skipper Bobby Cross, caught by wicketkeeper Lees off Wilson for 14, and the needless run-out of Tom Hardman for 32.

Zimbabwean Taylor hit his opposite number van der Dussen for a couple of sixes and, aided by Danny Pawson, steered Heywood past the winning post.

Werneth are a much better side than they showed in this cup-tie but, after yesterday’s setback and the surprise league defeat at Clifton on Saturday, they must show what they are made of, starting on Saturday at home to new CLL leaders Walsden.