Bamford bounce back after scare

EVASIVE ACTION: Bamford’s Dave Roberts dodges a ball from Austerlands’ Junaid Khan.

TEA must have tasted pretty good for the Austerlands players in the Armstrongs Office Furniture Saddleworth and District Cricket League on Saturday.

They had limited Bamford Fieldhouse, the leaders, to 171 for nine, albeit on a Thorpe Lane wicket offering plenty of assistance to the bowlers.

Fast forward 60 minutes, their dream of inflicting a first defeat of the season on the visitors had turned into a horrible nightmare. We’re talking Stephen King proportions here.

Austerlands had slumped to 38 for six after mesmerising opening spells from Darren Shadford and Mel Austin.

It didn’t get any better for Kevin Du Feu’s side. Eventually shot out for 85, they too were unable to halt the free-wheeling Bamford juggernaut.

Bamford’s record this season now stands at played 15, won 13 and drawn two, which equates to a 79-point lead.

How Austerlands, who started the day in second place, must be kicking themselves. Admittedly, they were disappointed at spilling four catches, but to restrict Bamford to a score below 180 was still a solid effort.

Junaid Khan was Austerlands‚ chief destroyer. The young Pakistani professional charged in for 23 overs, taking six for 64 - seven days after claiming seven against Uppermill.

The left-arm medium-quick bowler removed opening batsmen, Stephen Parry and Lincoln Roberts, as well as Qasar Riaz and captain for the day Paddy McKeown as Bamford were reduced to 93 for four.

Most of Khan’s success came from balls pitched up to the bat - he removed Austin’s middle stump with one such delivery - but anything short of a length lost all momentum off the surface and often reached the wicketkeeper after the second bounce.

The Roberts brothers, Dave and Pete, offered Bamford’s main resistance. Dave, who was dropped early on in his innings by Adam Young, made 26, while Pete fell eight runs short of a deserved half-century.

Andy Young offered Khan good support, accounting for Dave Roberts and Shadford in figures of two for 45 from 14 overs.

The departure of Shadford left Bamford 139 for eight, while they had crept beyond 150 when Pete Roberts headed back to the pavilion.

But Austerlands hopes of bagging maximum bowling points were thwarted by old boys Liam Garnett and Jason Maher. The latter clipped Andy Young off his legs for six in a mini-stand of 15.

McKeown had his men surrounding the bat immediately after the resumption - and they were soon celebrating the fall of Michael Schofield.

Abhi Ettimadai worked on the theory that attack was the best form of defence until he was trapped leg before to Shadford. Adam Sunderland followed suit in identical fashion to Austin, who also ensnared overseas amateur Mark Hayward.

Neither Adam Young nor Khan held out for long as Austerlands’ reply fell into disarray.

Austin, with three for eight from 10 overs and Shadford (three for 35 from nine overs) had done their job.

McKeown turned to the past and present of Lancashire to apply the finishing touch. The past, Simon Marshall, who was earlier run out for one, took two for 18, but not before he was hit for 11 in one over by Mark Peters.

Peters’ three scoring shots of six, four and one took him beyond the previous highest of 10 from Ettimadai. He went on to make 17 not out.

Lancashire’s present, and very much the future, Parry, got the other two wickets for 11 runs.