Durose is the hat-trick hero

CLL CRICKET: SPINNER Alan Durose took a career-best nine for 37, including a hat-trick, as WERNETH stunned reigning champions Monton and Weaste on the opening day of the Lake Garage CLL season.

After being put into bat by Werneth skipper Andy Walker, Monton were bowled out for 156.

And the visitors made the runs they needed for the loss of seven wickets.

Naveed Din (36), professional Paul Green (35) and Trent Scott (32) made the bulk of Monton’s runs, but it was Joe Taylor’s priceless knock of 51 for Werneth which was the match-winning innings.

However, this match was all about Durose, who removed Din in his first over then, after a drinks break, took the wickets of professional Green, David Hamilton and Whitaker in successive balls to take Werneth from a dodgy position to one of total command.

Monton never really recovered from these body blows and Durose gleefully ripped through their middle order.



CROMPTON, despite their pre-season loss of key players, also made a fine start with a thrilling two runs home victory over Walsden.

New professional Matthew Needham hit an unbeaten 97 and Alan Whiston 30 as Crompton made a respectable 190.

The Glebe Street men were 127 for nine before Needham and last-man David Shaw shared a ninth-wicket stand of 63, in a partnership which proved pivotal.

And Needham grabbed four for 51 from 16 overs and new skipper Carl Taylor two for 72 from 19.3 overs as Walsden - despite the luxury of eight missed catches - were bowled out for 188 off the last ball of their 50 overs.

Former Heywood all-rounder Tom Hardman, now paid man at Clitheroe, was deputy professional for Walsden as contracted Sri Lankan pro Duminda Perera was unable to catch his flight to this country because of the ongoing Icelandic volcano crisis.

A number of other players have had flights delayed, including Oldham's overseas amateur Keelan Gossayn, who should have arrived from South Africa on Saturday.

In his absence, OLDHAM struggled against Rochdale, who batted first at the Pollards and made 235 for nine. Andy Dawson top scored with 41 and professional Craig Spearman, the New Zealand Test player, made a scratchy 39 after being dropped by Gary Crossley while in single figures.

The evergreen Mel Whittle bowled 25 overs and took six for 96, but new professional Mohammad Hanif proved rather expensive, going for 76 for his two wickets.

In reply, Oldham were bowled out for 120. Adnam Shafiq top scored with 34 and skipper Chris McDonnell hit 23 as Rochdale's bowlers held the upper hand. Neil Avery led the way with four for 33, while Scott Butterworth took two for 15 and Greg Butterworth two for 33.




ROYTON had high hopes of victory at Radcliffe after restricting their hosts to 168 for eight, Qasir Malik hitting an unbeaten 43 and Royton pro and new skipper Luke Procter taking five for 79.

But Royton lost wickets at a steady rate and even though number three Matthew Ward made an unbeaten 72 and opener Simon Brierley 33, they were bowled out for 166 – two runs short of Radcliffe's total.

Shaw-based Scott Stanworth scored 112 in Middleton’s victory over Clifton at Towncroft, a win completed by former Crompton leg spinner Dale Highton's five for 58.

Yesterday's results:

Ashton 129 (Schofield 6-53), Milnrow 190-9 (Panyangara 57, Power 43); Crompton 190 (Needham 97 n.o, Whiston 30), Walsden 188 (Gilford 35, Needham 4-51); Littleborough 243-6 (Perren 103 n.o., Hulme 59, Henderson 43, Cheetham 4-54), Heywood 239-4 (Pawson 81, Zelem 76 n.o.); Middleton 243-8 (Stanworth 112, Davey 43, Jennings 4-27), Clifton 184 (Puchert 56, Highton 5-58); Monton and Weaste 156 (Din 36, Green 35, Scott 32, Durose 9-37), Werneth 157-7 (J Taylor 51, Hamilton 4-50); Norden 180-3 (Brierley 83 n.o., Telser 64, Farley 3-63), Unsworth 177 (Long 38, Manley 36, Collinson 3-26); Oldham 120 (Avery 4-33), Rochdale 235-9 (Dawson 41, Spearman 39, Whittle 6-96); Radcliffe 168-8 (Malik 43 n.o, Procter 5-79), Royton 166 (Ward 72 n.o., Shah 5-43, Anwar 4-71).