Crompton batsmen must knuckle down

Photo: Tim Bradley

TAKE THAT... Royton opening batsman Liam Mason hits out against Heywood at the Paddock.

CRICKET: CROMPTON are looking for a change of luck after being denied a winning opportunity at Radcliffe on Saturday.

Having made 152, they saw that target reduced to 99 following a rain break and the CLL’s version of the Duckworth-Lewis ruling.

And despite the heroics of Crompton overseas amateur Sami Ullah, who took five for 44, Radcliffe were able to stagger to 99 for six off 23 incident-packed overs.

Crompton skipper Carl Taylor was on holiday for the game, but said: “From what the lads tell me there is no way Radcliffe would have got to our original total.

“It is frustrating, but we really must get some bigger scores if we are to win games.

“We keep getting to around the 130 mark with about seven or eight wickets down and that’s not enough.

“Our pro (Fida Hussain) has had one or two decent knocks, but has been a bit slow. That puts pressure on those coming later, but he is well aware of that and is looking to score a bit quicker.

“And our batsmen as a whole need to get more ones and twos.

“They need to adopt a different mentality at the crease.

“At the moment it tends to be dot ball, then attempted boundary and it doesn’t work like that.”

Crompton are confident of a positive result on Saturday when they host Monton and Weaste.

“They have been struggling, too, and we always seem to do well against them anyway,” said Taylor.

Sunday brings a Wood Cup showdown with Littleborough at Hare Hill and although Taylor acknowledges his side are underdogs, he said: “We will give it our best shot. You never know, do you?”

In order to give themselves any chance of success, Crompton will need to nullify the threat of Boro professional Clinton Perren and star amateur Warren Williams.