McDonnell responding to pressure

CRICKET: OLDHAM skipper Chris McDonnell is feeling the benefits of being a batsman under pressure.

McDonnell and his vice-captain Paul Thompson are Oldham’s most experienced players and the skipper, in particular, knows the importance of holding the innings together with so many young cricketers in the side.

He has scored 248 runs in six innings this season for a highly-respectable average of nearly 50.

And McDonnell admits the fear of losing his wicket cheaply and putting the team in trouble provides his motivation to succeed.

”It has been pointed out to me that I am batting a bit more slowly, and I suspect that is because there are often inexperienced players at the other end.

“If the ball is there to be hit and it is one of my shots I will go for it, but I do admit I have been slightly more cautious.”

The results of his labours have delighted McDonnell, as has the contribution of opening batsman Dr Zaffer Jatoi, who has been a revelation so far this term.

Free from his many exams, Jatoi has been a regular fixture in the team and his five knocks have yielded 254 runs for an excellent average of almost 51.

“Zaffer is a class player,” said McDonnell. “And he scores very quickly.

“He plays proper cricket shots and has a really good eye for batting.”

Despite pre-season predictions in some quarters that an Oldham team without Mel Whittle would be cannon fodder, the Pollards outfit have been competitive in most games and have won two of their six fixtures.

Their latest win came at Unsworth on Sunday, when the home team were convinced that they had secured a draw.

Unsworth lost an over through rain and were set a revised target of 189.

They lost their last wicket on 188 when John O’Brien got a leading edge off McDonnell and was caught at short mid-wicket by Oldham professional Kamran Hussain.

Oldham celebrated victory, but Unsworth were convinced they had tied the game.

Said McDonnell: “I knew we had won and so did the umpires. Our score was calculated off run rate and the target they were given had to be rounded up to the nearest whole figure.

“The fact that they were out for 188 left them short of our amended total and the league has endorsed that.”

Oldham’s defeat at home to Heywood 24 hours earlier featured a helping hand from a visiting supporter.

Heywood groundsman Keith Warren prepared the wicket in between innings after McDonnell – who was scheduled for the job – made an unbeaten 81 and was padded up and in need of a break.