Werneth get lucky!

CLL round-up: LADY Luck was smiling on Werneth yesterday when they escaped from their home game against Radcliffe with two points their performance hardly merited.

Like every other game on the second Sunday of the Lake Garage CLL season, Werneth’s fixture at the Paddock was rain-affected.

Radcliffe took first guard and made 203 for eight, Michael Coates hitting 42.

But when Werneth were set a gettable revised target of 145 from 31 overs, the pendulum seemed to have swung their way.

However, Radcliffe professional Anwar Ul-Haq had other ideas, taking five for 25 with his leg spin.

There was a sting in the tail as the deadline for play at 8.15pm arrived with Werneth on 103 for eight but an over shy of their entitlement. That meant the game was drawn and both teams allocated two points - a lucky escape for Andy Walker's men.

ROYTON were without professional and skipper Luke Procter for their home game against Norden as the Lancashire contracted player was on county duty at Surrey.

Adrian Shankar, another player on Lancashire’s books, deputised, but he was unable to make much of an impact as the powerful visiting side took a firm grip on the game and secured maximum points.

Deputy professional Mike Price (66) and Greg Tattersall (53 not out) were the main players in Norden’s 222 for eight off their 50 overs. Andrew Westphal bowled unchanged for his four for 101.

Royton were set a revised target of 146 off 27 overs but collapsed to 84 all out, Chris Humphries taking four for 35 and Price three for 18.

OLDHAM suffered defeat at Milnrow, who rattled up 283 for four declared after batting first.

Skipper Paul Winrow (112) and Alex Scholfield (101) did most of the damage with an opening stand of 202, both punishing anything short or wide - not that the Oldham bowling was as bad as they made it look.

With rain intervening, Oldham were set a revised target of 174 off 24 overs but, despite not losing a wicket, openers Paul Thompson and Chris McDonnell fell 53 runs short of their target, the former finishing unbeaten on 61.

CROMPTON were involved in one of four matches to be abandoned, with little play possible because of the wet conditions.

They were 17 for one at Clifton when play ended for the day.

Results:

Clifton v Crompton 17-1 abandoned; Heywood 63-1 (Cross 38 n.o.) v Monton and Weaste m/a; Unsworth v Littleborough 27-0 m/a; Walsden v Middleton 80-1 (Stanworth 45 n.o.) m/a; Rochdale 82-3 (Spearman 38 n.o., Ayres 34), Ashton 148, Rochdale win after being set revised target; Milnrow 283-4 dec (Winrow 112, Scholfield 101), Oldham 121-0, revised target of 174; Werneth 103-8, revised target of 145 (Ul-Haq 5-25), Radcliffe 203-8 (Coates 41), match drawn, two points each; Royton 84, revised target of 146 (Humphries 4-35, Price 3-18), Norden 222-8.