Royton hold nerve in last-over drama

Photo: Pictures: TIM BRADLEY.

DOWN AND OUT... Royton opener Liam Mason tries to make his ground, but the batsmen is the victim of a direct hit from Heywood.

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Bowlers turn it round to clinch unlikely home victory

ROYTON snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in an enthralling Lake Garage CLL match of fluctuating fortunes against Heywood at the Paddock on Saturday.

Early-afternoon showers and the delay caused by the drying-out of a damp square prompted the umpires to reduce the game to 27 overs per side.

But once the action began, the outcome hung in the balance until Royton grasped the nettle thanks to the late bowling efforts of Tony Walsh and Matthew Hodson.

Heywood looked certain to chase down Royton's total of 149 for nine when they needed only 11 runs from their last two overs with six wickets intact.

But the penultimate over from Walsh went for just three runs, leaving Hodson with the task of containing rampant Heywood pro Andrea Agathangelou and his sidekick Lee Grogan.

The first ball went for three runs, taking Agathangelou off strike, and a dot ball followed by Hodson’s clean bowling of Grogan swung the pendulum in Royton's favour.

Heywood overseas amateur Hamish Patterson could must only one run off the next two Hodson deliveries, leaving the swashbuckling Agathangelou needing a four off the last ball of the innings to give Heywood victory.

But Hodson held his nerve and produced an excellent delivery which Agathangelou could only hit for a single and the Royton celebrations – led by enthusiastic skipper Alan Durose – began.

It was something of a surprise that Heywood came as close as they did as Royton's score looked to be more than enough on a two-paced pitch.

Ryan Carruthers hit two sixes and six fours in a fine knock of 57, while deputy pro Cameron Delport looked a class act with identical boundary statistics in his quickfire 52.

The other Royton batsmen sacrificed their wickets in the quest for quick runs, but credit must go to Heywood slow bowlers Rob Slawson and Chris Kaye, who gave skipper Bobby Cross control following a flurry of early runs, and picked up four wickets apiece.

Heywood were relying on prolific batsman Cross to spearhead their reply, but that plan backfired with the score on three when he pulled Matthew Smith to mid-wicket where the jubilant Durose snapped up a sharp chance.

That brought Agathangelou to the crease and the Lancashire second-team captain quickly stated his intentions with some lusty hitting.

His trademark shot was an across-the-line smash over mid-wicket, but Royton's bowlers continued to feed him balls in his hitting area and, despite the loss of three wickets including the sharp run out by Durose of Ross Zelem Heywood kept in touch with the required run rate.

And, with Grogan playing a supporting role to the free-scoring Agathangelou, Heywood moved to the brink of victory as Delport – a much better batsman than bowler – came in for some harsh treatment.

Agathangelou was particularly dismissive of his bowling and the stand-in pro's concession of 44 runs from just five overs looked to have cost Royton victory.

But Hodson and the excellent Walsh, who bowled five overs for only 12 runs, had other ideas and Royton were the ones celebrating in the early-evening gloom.