Oldham and Royton out to upset big guns

MEL WHITTLE . . . expected to bowl plenty of overs at Heywood.

OLDHAM and Royton may not be in contention for Lake Garage CLL honours, but both have the chance to make their mark on the title race tomorrow.

After securing a morale-boosting win over Royton last Sunday, Oldham will travel to leaders Heywood in good spirits and with hopes high.

Royton, on the other hand, have to lift themselves for the visit of second-placed Norden, whose batsmen have been making in the recent sunshine.

Heywood may have had headaches with their attempts to secure a professional this season - Ruvin Peiris abandoned plans to come over to England after protracted work permit problems - but just as worrying for the Crimble side has been the absence for key matches of leading amateurs Tom Hardman and Will Purser.

All-rounder Hardman (18), who is on Lancashire’s books, tore a ribcage muscle while bowling at Andrew Flintoff in the Old Trafford nets.

He was out of action for most of June, but has been bowling this week. The final decision on whether he can face Oldham will rest with Lancashire.

As for Purser, his appearances for Staffordshire have restricted his Heywood outings, but he is available tomorrow.

Oldham will need to be on their guard against one or both of the above tomorrow, but skipper Chris McDonnell will also be acutely aware of the need to dismiss Bobby Cross cheaply.

The Heywood skipper held the Crimble side’s innings together at Werneth on Saturday, hitting a match-winning 113 as his side won by 25 runs.

Oldham continue to be hampered by a limited bowling attack, which is not to decry the sterling efforts of veteran professional Mel Whittle, the willing Neil Inkpen and Abid Fasil-Masih.

The lack of a spearhead has enabled opposition batsmen to post targets beyond Oldham, but spirits in the camp remain high and the challenge of taking on the leaders should get the juices flowing.

As for Royton, they must find a way to halt Norden professional Jean Symes, who made a majestic 138 as the Woodhouse Lane outfit crushed derby rivals Rochdale by 222 runs at Redbrook on Sunday.

Hashan Malik, a no-nonsense belter of a cricket ball, is another dangerous opponent, while metronomic pace bowler Zane Arthur and hugely-promising spinner Oliver Makin pose threats with the ball, along with Symes.

Royton need to rediscover the form which saw them record six wins in seven matches last month.

Paid man Luke Procter has suffered a couple of recent failures with the bat, but has hit successive centuries for Lancashire seconds and clearly remains in good nick.

Crompton warm up for Sunday’s Wood Cup semi-final with a home game against bottom-of-the-table Radcliffe, while Werneth travel to Middleton for a match they would dearly love to win following their recent slump.


TOMORROW: Ashton v Littleborough; Crompton v Radcliffe; Heywood v Oldham; Middleton v Werneth; Milnrow v Unsworth; Rochdale v Monton and Weaste; Royton v Norden; Walsden v Clifton.

THE quarter-finals of the John Willie Lees Twenty20 Competition take place tonight (6.15) when the main local attraction is the clash of Werneth and Crompton at the Coppice.

Elsewhere, Royton go to Littleborough, Unsworth entertain Heywood, and Norden are at home to Clifton.