Cup hopefuls on revenge mission

HUNGRY FOR WICKETS . . . Mark Dronsfield, who had a five for 56 return against Rochdale last Saturday, will be a key member of Werneth’s Wood Cup attack.

Royton and Oldham must get it right this time

CRICKET: ROYTON and Oldham will be cast in the role of avengers in Sunday’s John Willie Lees Wood Cup first-round ties.

Royton travel to Milnrow for their cup clash just eight days after throwing away a winning opportunity in last Saturday’s league meeting at Ladyhouse.

Milnrow were on the ropes on 70 for six, but Royton lost their way as the home side launched a counterattack which saw them reach an imposing 244 for nine.

Having lost vital momentum, Royton were bowled out for 150 in reply, so it is important the Paddock outfit build on the early positives they gained from this match when they put their cup hopes on the line.

Five bowlers must be used in the Wood Cup, and Royton may go with professional and skipper Luke Procter - assuming he is not required by Lancashire - the in-form Ryan Mayes, Andrew Westphal, leg spinner Joe Lovell and young fast bowler Matthew Hodson.

Should Procter be called up by his county for Sunday’s Clydesdale Bank 40 match against Surrey at Old Trafford, then Mohammad Zaman Khan will take his place, having been an excellent stand-in against his former club, Crompton, recently.


OLDHAM’s batsmen have been told they must stand up and be counted when they take on Middleton for the second time in just over a week.

Pollards skipper Chris McDonnell has demanded better shot selection from his team-mates and they will certainly need to improve if they are to set up a winning opportunity at Towncroft on Sunday.

Middleton beat Oldham by a comfortable 63 runs last Saturday, so the visitors will also need to bowl and field better, after conceding 270 runs in a slipshod display.

The tireless Mel Whittle will be restricted to 10 overs in the cup, so Craig Joy, Keelan Gossayn, professional Mohammad Hanif, Abid Fasil and the skipper might share the rest of the bowling duties.


WERNETH are striving for more consistency in their play, but they are the highest-placed of the four local teams and appear to have the easiest cup-tie.

Clifton are their opponents at the Coppice and although their new professional Hendro Puchert has shown promise with the bat, he has hardly been destructive so far.

The Wood Cup could just be Werneth’s competition as the team is blessed with lots of bowling talent.

Professional Darren Shadford – assuming he has recovered from a rib injury sustained taking a catch – will lead the attack.

And in Matt and Joe Taylor, Alan Durose, skipper Andrew Walker, Mark Dronsfield and Michael Wilson, Werneth have the luxury of options should someone come in for rough treatment.


CROMPTON’s bowlers leaked runs against Littleborough last weekend and they can ill afford a repeat if they are to keep an in-form Unsworth batting line-up in check at Glebe Street.

Unsworth successfully chased down 226 against Walsden last weekend, John Wiggans and professional Calvin Flowers making half-centuries.


ALL four of our teams warm up for Sunday’s cup games with tough league fixtures tomorrow.

Werneth travel to Heywood, whose new professional Rajat Bhatia continues to impress with the ball, while Crompton face a huge task at title favourites Norden.

Oldham host last year’s double winners, Monton and Weaste, while Royton entertain Clifton.

TOMORROW (League, 1.45pm): Heywood v Werneth; Littleborough v Ashton; Norden v Crompton; Oldham v Monton and Weaste; Radcliffe v Middleton; Rochdale v Unsworth; Royton v Clifton; Walsden v Milnrow.

SUNDAY (Wood Cup first round, 1.30pm): Littleborough v Norden; Heywood v Ashton; Middleton v Oldham; Milnrow v Royton; Crompton v Unsworth; Rochdale v Radcliffe; Werneth v Clifton; Walsden v Monton and Weaste.