In-form Imran is Upper class

Photo: Picture by CHRIS SUNDERLAND.

CLOSE SHAVE . . . Hollinwood batsman Shahid Naseer survives Shaw bowler Kane Harrington’s appeal for leg before. Shaw won by six wickets.

CRICKET:

AFTER a surprise defeat at Greenfield on the opening day of the season, Uppermill responded with back-to-back wins in the Armstrongs Office Furniture Saddleworth and District Cricket League.

And both successes, over Moorside and Shaw, featured bumper hauls for new professional Imran Aslam.

The Pakistani claimed six for 16 on Saturday and seven for 61 only 24 hours later.

Bamford pro Grant Hodnett who, after scoring 200 in hisfirst game, went for a duck in the home draw with Glodwick.

However, the former Gloucestershire opener replied with 60 in the emphatic defeat of Greenfield on Sunday.

Ian Hague was among the runs for Saddleworth — he compiled 59 and 106 against Heyside and Austerlands respectively — but finished up on the losing side both times.

Humayun Farhat registered a first ton for Austerlands in Sunday’s five-wicket victory, while Heyside captain Nick Campbell hit an unbeaten 96 in Saturday’s match.

Campbell hit 51 in Sunday’s high-scoring win over Hollinwood, but his effort was overshadowed by team-mate Roelof Hugo’s magnificent 168. John Winterbottom’s fine 105 was the highlight of the visitors’ reply.