Heyside reach the point of no return

HEYSIDE are facing the moment of truth in the Armstrongs Office Furniture Saddleworth and District Cricket League title race.

They are at home to high-flying Bamford Fieldhouse tomorrow and only a win will do if they are to keep alive their faint hopes of clinching the championship.

The Little Hey Street outfit are the only team in with a remote chance of catching Paddy McKeown’s side, and Heyside’s opposite number Nick Campbell knows only too well the importance of tomorrow’s showdown.

He said: “In reality, if we lose against Bamford, it’s all over in terms of winning the title.
“We lost three games in a row in June and that has really let us down because we can’t afford any more slip ups.

“We’re still in with a fighting chance, but only if we beat Bamford.”

In Roelof Hugo, Heyside boast one of the in-form players in the league.

The South African professional is enjoying a purple patch, having posted scores of 62, 133 and 68 in his last three innings . . . and all have been unbeaten.

The last man to dismiss Hugo was Austerlands paid man Sidney De Silva on June 27, but not before he had made 72.

Campbell said: “Roelof is the ultimate pro. He runs to and from training and is in the gym at least once every day.

“He is a very good team player. He knows that the rest of us have only one way of playing — we are all hitters — so he tends to stick around as long as possible.

“And despite our best efforts, he also refuses to have drink on a Friday or Saturday night before matches!”

Heyside follow up with a trip to bottom-of-the-table Saddleworth on Sunday while Bamford, who have games in hand over all their rivals, play host to Greenfield in a dress rehearsal for the Tanner Cup final on August 15.

Fixtures -

Tomorrow: Austerlands v Stayley; Uppermill v Glodwick; Friarmere v Moorside; Hollinwood v Shaw; Droylsden v Saddleworth; Heyside v Bamford Fieldhouse. Open date: Greenfield.

Sunday: Stayley v Hollinwood; Glodwick v Austerlands; Moorside v Uppermill; Shaw v Droylsden; Saddleworth v Heyside; Bamford Fieldhouse v Greenfield. Open date: Friarmere.