Magnificent sevens

Cricket

Dean’s effort in vain as Farooq engineers Shaw’s downfall

DOUGIE, Bryn and Peter talked about a wide variety of subjects on Saturday afternoon, from Glastonbury and anti-ageing cream to electricity pylons, but three of Shaw’s most avid supporters were unable to reflect on victory as they made their way home from Stayley.

Sean Dean’s career-best seven for 72 would have been one of the topics of conversation, but so too the six dropped catches by their side in this Armstrongs Office Furniture Saddleworth and District Cricket League fixture.

The seamer did his level best to give Shaw a fighting chance — he was on a hat-trick at one stage — but Stayley boasted their very own “seven star” in overseas amateur Adnan Farooq as they coasted to a 75-run win.

The Pakistani delivered 20 overs unchanged for figures of seven for 48. He had reduced his run-up to half-a-dozen paces by the end as the humid conditions and workload took its toll.

Shaw went into the match on a recovery mission. A decent spell of form, which had seen them win three of their previous four league games, was rudely cut short by a pitiful batting display against Austerlands when they were bowled out for just 77.

Rick Harrington’s side started well, restricting Stayley to 13 runs in the first 10 overs.

The young strike-force of Adam Good and Richard Doherty troubled both openers, and the former was unlucky when an edge from Oram Simms went to ground.

But batting seemed a lot of easier once the change bowlers came on, with Simms and Lou Adair opening their shoulders to push Stayley beyond 100.

The partnership was finally broken when Adair, with an eye on his 500th run of the season, lifted the ball straight to Johnny Good at long on for 43.

Simms departed the very next ball for 41, providing Dean, who was the sixth bowler employed by Harrington, with his first wicket.

Lee Williams followed almost immediately, leaving Stayley 117 from three.

Now, Ben Johnson isn’t one for playing himself in, and he had moved to 31 with three sixes and three fours when he was trapped lbw by Shaw professional Warrick Fynn.

Two more wickets fell for only seven more runs and Stayley paid man Rehan Rafiq was in danger of running out of partners.

He found a willing ally in captain Ronnie Cameron, and the pair put on a precious 37 for the seventh wicket before Rafiq, who was on 39, holed out to Harrington.

Stayley’s resistance quickly crumbled to 213 all out.

Much to the amusement of his two mates, Bryn was wearing a bright red cap when play resumed after tea.

Like Stayley, Shaw began their innings in circumspect fashion but at 86 for one from 25 overs — Fynn was sent packing for 23 after top-edging a pull shot — they were slight favourites.

Although Steve Whiston struggled to put bat to ball with any fluency, he was battling on and in overseas amateur Nick Van den Bergh he had a partner willing and able to play a few shots.

However, when Whiston finally gave way to Farooq, who was engineering the ball both into and away from the batsmen, Stayley started to turn the screw.

South African Van den Bergh, with a century to his name this season, swept the ball straight to Farooq for 27.

Farooq then dismissed Gareth Harrop and Matthew Chadwick in consecutive balls as Shaw suddenly found themselves 105 for five.

Harrington tried to relieve some of the pressure when he lifted Rafiq back over his head for six, but when he went for 10, the game was up.

Dean finished unbeaten on 14, but his earlier efforts with the ball had been in vain.

Dougie, Bryn and Peter — three priceless characters — packed up their things and headed home.