Werneth on the way up

CRICKET: WERNETH and Royton have golden opportunities to climb the Lake Garage CLL table tomorrow.

Werneth host a Crompton outfit who have suffered a string of drubbings in recent weeks.

Recent victories over Unsworth, Milnrow, Ashton and Oldham have propelled Werneth to ninth in the CLL and, if they can see off Crompton at the Coppice and Monton and Weaste slip at Unsworth, then a place in the top half will be theirs.

Skipper Andy Walker will have been heartened by the all-round efforts of his team in recent weeks.

While Mark Dronsfield and Alan Durose have been the stand-out players throughout Werneth’s campaign, the likes of Matt and Joe Taylor, Jon Slater and Franco Lenhardt have come to the fore in recent matches.

No-one likes to kick a team while they are down, but to say Crompton are struggling is a gross understatement.

Their bowling attack is so lightweight that opponents are helping themselves to centuries at an alarming rate . . . alarming if you are a Crompton supporter, that is.

The latest came from Royton professional Luke Procter, who smashed an unbeaten 198 at Glebe Street as Crompton were brushed aside by 98 runs.

At least there were a couple of encouraging individual displays from Aqib Zulfiqar and Shahid Khan, who hit 78 and 58 respectively.

Royton will be hoping for more of the same from Procter when they entertain Ashton at the Paddock.

The visitors are second from bottom of the CLL and despite some promising recent efforts from their overseas amateur, Barbadian Donovan Lovell, they should not be strong enough to trouble Procter and Co.

Oldham skipper Chris McDonnell must feel there is someone placing pins in a voodoo doll resembling him.

Points deductions, black eyes and missing professionals are all in a day’s work for the luckless McDonnell, who is determined to be back in action for Oldham against Heywood at Crimble.

Heywood are tough to beat on their home turf, but Oldham have performed well at high-flying Norden and Rochdale in recent weeks, so perhaps they will raise their game once again.

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

SUNDAY (Wood Cup semi-finals, 1.30pm): Littleborough v Milnrow; Walsden v Unsworth.