Umpires punish needled Matthew

CROMPTON professional Matthew Needham was removed from the bowling attack by the umpires during Sunday’s Lake Garage CLL defeat at Milnrow.

Needham was incensed when Milnrow batsman Max Power failed to walk after apparently gloving the ball to Alan Whiston behind the stumps.

In retaliation for what Needham believed to be bad sportsmanship by Power – though nothing in the laws of cricket suggests a batsman has to walk if given not out – he indicated that the next ball would be more venomous.

Said Whiston: “The umpires heard him say that and he bowled one which was nowhere near the batsman, didn’t bounce and flew well down the leg side for four wides.

“As a result, he was told he could not bowl again during the innings.

“To be fair to him, he walked when he got an edge during our innings.

“And he turned to their players and said ‘that’s what gentlemen do!’”


ROYTON will have their third captain in as many weeks when they entertain Walsden on Saturday.

Wicketkeeper Gareth Lees takes over after Matthew Ward broke a bone in his arm while attempting a catch at the Paddock against Oldham last Sunday.

Ward is likely to be out for four to six weeks, but fears that he had suffered a recurrence of a broken wrist proved unfounded.

Ward had assumed the captaincy following professional Luke Procter’s decision to stand down because of his increasing commitments to Lan-cashire.


LATEST results from the Under-18s competition for the Whittaker Cup are:

Bury 219, drew with Werneth (rain); Crompton beat Clifton (Clifton conceded); Rochdale 125-6, tied with Oldham 125-6; Royton 109-6 lost to Walsden 110-5; Unsworth 166-8 lost to Heywood 230-6 (Simon Dawson 50 n.o).