Saddleworth on upward curve

Glodwick batsman mran Khan lashes a six off Saddleworth bowler Steve Holmes but the hefty blow was in vain as the home side secured a seven-wicket victory.

AFTER a season in the doldrums, all seems to be well again at Saddleworth.

Peter Skuse’s side ended last year fourth from bottom in the Armstrongs Office Furniture Saddleworth and District Cricket League – their worst finish since 1999 when they filled the same position.

For a team who were so used to contesting titles and winning Tanner Cups, it was a sudden and unexpected dip in fortunes.

Normal service has been resumed, however, as they find themselves pushing hard for runners-up spot behind champions-elect Bamford Fieldhouse.

Their latest victims, by a seven-wicket margin, were Glodwick.

Skuse, the captain and professional, has been at the forefront of Saddleworth’s success over the years and it was no surprise that the Australian’s own slump in form had an impact on his side.

Like his men, Skuse has been revitalised in 2009 with more than 600 runs and 35 wickets. He added to those statistics against Glodwick, who started the day in second place.

Although his deed with the bat didn’t, on the face of it, appear too significant when needing just 74 to win, he came to the crease with his side wobbling at 16 for two.

Enormous credit must go to Glodwick. They bowled and fielded with bucket loads of enthusiasm and Skuse survived a couple of big appeals as, alongside Danny Hesford, he nibbled away at the target.

Glodwick were up against it from the start. Without paid man Imran Aslam — the league’s leading wicket-taker and accumulator of nearly 600 runs was serving the first of a two-match ban — Nigel Stock’s side required a personal best to overcome their hosts.

Batting was far from easy after heavy rain on Friday, but to be bowled out for their lowest score of the season was still a poor effort. A total in the region of 150 could have been good enough in the conditions.

Only three players reached double figures, Graeme Broadhead, Imran Khan and Mark Whitehead, as they lost their last seven wickets for a paltry 15 runs.

Broadhead was going along nicely on 29 when he was bowled behind his legs by a full toss in Steven Howard’s first over. Howard finished with figures of four for 10 runs.

Ryan McGrath, who started the year at Micklehurst, picked up the first three wickets to fall of Waqqas Ahmed, Whitehead (10) and Stock, while at the other end Steve Holmes sent down five overs before conceding a run.

Skuse took three for 12, including Khan for 18. He also removed his brother Atif for one, before finally ending Glodwick’s agony when he had Abid Hussain caught close in by Chris Brazewell.

The first ball of Saddleworth’s reply was smashed for six by Ben Willis. Hussain’s next delivery made a mess of the batsman’s stumps.

Glodwick never gave an inch in the field, and when Adam Lavin was held neatly by Broadhead off Shahid Mahmood for one, the Warren Lane outfit rightly believed they had a chance.

But Skuse stuck it out long enough to put Saddleworth back on an even keel, and when he was eventually caught by Atif Khan, Hesford took up the baton. He was unbeaten on 36 as Howard stroked the ball to the boundary for the winning runs.