Needham gives Crompton the perfect tonic

Lake Garage CLL . . .

CRICKET: DESPITE pre-season pessimism – at least in some quarters – Crompton made a superb start to their Lake Garage CLL campaign with an against-the-odds victory over Walsden.

Sunday’s success at Glebe Street was built around a fine all-round performance by new professional Matt Needham, whose unbeaten 97 held Crompton’s innings together before he made a decisive bowling contribution of four for 51.

It was a pity Needham missed out on a deserved century in his first match after sharing a crucial last-wicket stand of 63 with wicketkeeper David Shaw, the partnership being broken by an unfortunate run out.

Needham’s performance aside, Crompton will be pleased with the efforts of new skipper Carl Taylor, whose confidence will be boosted by this win and his own bowling efforts which netted him two for 72 off 19.3 overs.

And don’t underestimate the contribution made by Glenn Rigby and Alan Whiston.

Surely the league’s oldest opening partnership, they rolled back the years with a fine stand of 53. More of the same please, fellas.


IF Crompton’s win was a surprise, then what about the coupon-busting victory of Werneth at Monton and Weaste, last year’s double winners?

Alan Durose, with a nine for 37 haul which included a hat-trick, rightly hogged the headlines, but there was much encouragement in Werneth’s all-round display and skipper Andy Walker will now be looking forward to the season with anticipation rather than trepidation.

Overseas amateur Chris Erasmus showed enough with the bat to suggest he will hold his own and there was much to like about his display behind the stumps.

Darren Shadford, back at the Coppice as professional, bowled excellently but without any luck, while there were solid contributions from many of the amateurs, not least Joe Taylor - whose 51 was the highest knock of the match – and John Slater (24 not out), who showed skill and composure as the game reached its climax.

With Matt Taylor and Franco Lenhardt due back from Tasmania this week - volcanic ash permitting - the future for Werneth looks healthy.


ROYTON were understandably downbeat after throwing away a golden chance of victory at Radcliffe.

On more than one occasion they had a stranglehold on the game, only to let the home side off the hook.

Radcliffe were in desperate straits on 102 for seven, but Qasir Malik’s unbeaten 43 took them to the relative riches of 168 for eight and handed them a lifeline which they ultimately grabbed.

All looked to be going well for Royton when Liam Mason and the returning Simon Brierley put on 32 for the first wicket and Matt Ward continued the good work in a second-wicket stand of 67 with the latter.

But once Brierley was out to a rash shot which saw him stumped off the spin of Radcliffe pro Anwar Ul-Haq, Royton capitulated.

Only Ward seemed to have any real idea how to play Ul-Haq and the canny Sadar Shah, but a win was still within Royton’s grasp when Ward and last man Ryan Mayes got their wires crossed and Mayes was run out by inches with Royton three runs shy of victory.

So, instead of maximum points, Royton contrived to pick up one. Better application is top of their agenda next weekend.