Peters provides perfect cover

Hollinwood batsman Zia Ur Rehman is out off Greenfield's bowler Alex Peters

GREENFIELD all-rounder Alex Peters could do little wrong against Hollinwood in the Armstrongs Office Furniture Saddleworth and District Cricket League.

The teenager, thrown the ball in the absence of regular spinner Peter Gill, took career-best figures of eight for 48 from 18 overs to reduce the home side to 144 all out.

When it was Peters’ turn to bat — and he didn’t have to wait too long — he made a crucial 34 as Greenfield, who were ultimately grateful to an eighth-wicket stand of 42 from captain Jonathan Ainley (27) and Adam Hayes (21), clinched a fifth win of the season.

Generally regarded as a top-order batsman, he showed he is no mean bowler after coming on as first change to Dominic Gill.

Extracting turn and bounce, Peters’ first wicket was a gimme when Zia Ur Rehman pulled a long hop to Ainley.

Hollinwood, minus five first-teamers, were quite content at 43 for one. At 82 with still nine wickets in hand, stand-in captain Shahzad Sadaqat cut the figure of a contended man.

However, his mood soon changed when Mudassar Butt, attempting a risky second run, was caught out of his ground by a superb throw by Hayes close to the deep fine leg boundary.

Peters then got to work. He removed Mike Walsh and Israh Ur Haq, while Gary Harrison was trapped leg before for no score.

Mark Lees, who bowled 21 overs straight through, was rewarded for a tireless spell when he removed dangerman Sadaqat for three. Suddenly Hollinwood were all at sea at 110 for six.

While all this mayhem was unfolding, professional Asif Iqbal was going about his business, looking in vain for a John Winterbottom figure — the regular skipper was unavailable — to stick around at the other end.

Aamir Khan offered a simple catch to Ainley, Shahid Rizwan tried his best until he holed out to Josh Higgins for nine, before John Rhodes lifted the ball straight back to Peters.

Iqbal had battled on beyond his half-century by this stage. He finished up trying to farm the strike in order for Hollinwood to get through their 45 overs. Unfortunately, the last ball of the 43rd over saw Kevin Stevenson stumped by Chris Gill off that man Peters, leaving Iqbal stranded on 77 not out

Only Glodwick professional Imran Aslam, with eight for 43, can boast better bowling figures than Peters this season.

Greenfield made the worst possible start. Chris Gill, the youngest player to reach 500 runs this season, cut Sadaqat’s second ball low down to Khan, who clutched ball one-handed in the gully.

Tom Milne soon followed as Greenfield slipped to 12 for two.

Peters and Higgins got their side back on an even keel, but when the latter went for 17 and Chris Moore departed for a duck, the momentum had swung back to Hollinwood.

It appeared as though Peters’ hard work with both bat and ball would go to waste after he departed leg before to Iqbal.

When Mike Moore and Lees left the scene for 13 and 16 respectively, Greenfield were still 42 runs short of their target. All hopes rested on Ainley and Hayes.

Hayes, who didn’t bowl after taking a bang on the knee, had two escapes. Firstly, a full-blooded strike ripped through the hands of Butt at long-on, while Walsh was only inches away from gathering a running catch.

The more conservative Ainley had great success in steering the ball down to the vacant third-man boundary. He did this time and again.

Within touching distance of the winning line, Hayes opted for the grandstand finish and hoisted Iqbal back over his head for six.