Low run-chases end in failure as batsmen luff their lines

Photo: Pictures by CHRIS SUNDERLAND.

OLD ADVERSARIES . . . Royton’s vastly-experienced opening batsman Simon Brierley keeps veteran Oldham bowler Mel Whittle at bay at the Pollards yesterday.

SMALL totals often prove insurmountable challenges — just ask players from Austerlands and Friarmere in the Armstrongs Office Furniture Saddleworth and District Cricket League.


The Austerlands bowlers did the hard work by restricting top-five hopefuls Shaw to 133 for nine.

Unfortunately, Kevin Du Feu’s side failed miserably with the bat as they crashed to 103 all out.

For Shaw, in their first match since captain Steve Whiston quit the club, it ended a winless run stretching almost a month, but they still dropped to fourth place in the table after Uppermill’s defeat of Stayley.

Friarmere were seemingly on course for a seventh success in their last eight games when professional Josh Butler’s figures of five for 22 sent mid-table rivals Glodwick spiralling to 125 all out.

But the Warren Lane outfit had their own five-wicket wonder in Imran Asghar as the hosts succumbed to 113.

Uppermill laid to rest the ghost of last week’s Tanner Cup semi-final defeat with an 18-run win at Stayley.

Spearheaded by Mark Berry’s excellent 86, Alex Griffiths’ side amassed 273 for six from their 45 overs.

Stayley gave it a good go in reply — paid man Usman Malvi hit a superb 110 — but they are are still without a win since June 5.

The thoughts of Hollinwood players and officials are with Aamir Bashir at present — there are concerns for the health of the Pakistani pro — so a 16-run defeat of Saddleworth was one piece of positive news at a worrying time for the Lime Lane outfit.

Steve Bowers and S Butt laid the foundations for victory with 60 and 57 respectively out of a total of 229. Ryan McGrath claimed five for 64.

It is has been a bit of a struggle for captain and pro Peter Skuse this season — he was averaging 36 before Saturday — but he found some form with a stubborn 63.

However, the Australian’s effort was in vain as Rashid Khan collected five for 56.

Skuse’s opposite number at Heyside, Roelof Hugo, is having no such problems.

The South African is on course to be the first player to reach 1,000 runs in the league after adding an unbeaten 62 in his side’s seven-wicket defeat of Greenfield. Hugo now sits on 825.

Ben Holt (51) also struck a half-century for the team in second after Stuart Moore had collected seven for 45 in Greenfield’s innings of 141, which included 52 from Josh Higgins.

Ex-Lancashire pair Paddy McKeown (71) and Simon Marshall (five for 33) led the way for leaders Bamford Fieldhouse, who enjoyed a comfortable seven-wicket success at home to Droylsden (141).

Scores —

Division one: Shaw 133-9, Austerlands 103; Droylsden 141 (S Marshall 5-33), Bamford Fieldhouse 142-3 (P McKeown 71); Glodwick 125 (J Butler 5-22), Friarmere 113 (I Asghar 5-44); Greenfield 141 (J Higgins 52, S Moore 7-45), Heyside 145-3 (R Hugo 62 not out, B Holt 51); Hollinwood 229 (S Bowers 60, S Butt 57, R McGrath 5-64), Saddleworth 213-8 (P Skuse 63, R Khan 5-56); Uppermill 273-6 (M Berry 86), Stayley 255-9 (U Malvi 110).

Division two: Droylsden 166-9, Bamford Fieldhouse 152; Friarmere 87, Glodwick 88-2; Greenfield 136, Heyside 72 (D Gill 6-40); Hollinwood 158 (B Foster 5-30), Saddleworth 159-3 (R Jones 82); Austerlands 122, Shaw 123-3; Uppermill 147, Stayley 88 (I Johnson 7-34).