Show some patience, Oldham!

CRICKET: CHRIS McDONNELL has been preaching the art of shot selection to his Oldham batsmen, but few have been listening.

Many have fallen to repeated mistakes and the situation came to a head last weekend when the Pollards outfit squandered a golden opportunity to inflict a rare home defeat on Heywood.

After bowling out Heywood for only 124, Oldham were firmly in the driving seat.

The skipper tried his best to steer Oldham to victory with a patient 31, but a series of loose shots from his team-mates handed Heywood a lifeline which they accepted and the visitors were dismissed for a hugely-disappointing 105 with 21.2 overs wasted.

A frustrated McDonnell said: “It was as if all the team wanted someone else to score the runs for them. Only two of them can say they were got out by good bowling.

“We would have won the game quite easily had it not been for poor shot selection and batsmen wanting to hit every ball for four or six.

“It’s been the same story in the past few games. It’s not the other teams that are bowling us out, it’s ourselves doing it for them!”

The penny needs to drop with Oldham’s batsmen - and quickly - if the team is to turn around a so-far disappointing season.

McDonnell and his side go to Radcliffe tomorrow for a game they have the ability to win if the application is right.

In sharp contrast to Oldham, WERNETH are on a roll following five wins in their last six matches.

Confidence is high in the Coppice camp and the visit tomorrow of Clifton gives them the chance to avenge their defeat away from home three weeks ago.

On that occasion, Werneth rattled up 285 for five, but Clifton knocked off the runs with three balls and a couple of wickets to spare.

However, with the likes of Alan Durose, Mark Dronsfield and Joe and Matt Taylor bowling well recently, Werneth can expect another victory assuming the batsmen continue to do their stuff.

ROYTON suffered a surprise reverse at home to Ashton last weekend and the visit of Heywood represents, on paper at least, a stiffer task.

And the same Ashton team which won at the Paddock will be hoping for more of the same when they take on fellow strugglers CROMPTON at Glebe Street.

TONIGHT (Twenty20, 6.15pm): Radcliffe v Monton and Weaste; Unsworth v Clifton; Norden v Middleton; Rochdale v Heywood; Ashton v Werneth; Royton v Oldham; Crompton v Milnrow; Littleborough v Walsden.

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