Royton complete a derby double

NEAR MISS.... for Crompton batsman Mohammed Naveed as Royton bowler Mark Woodward beats the outside edge at the Paddock.

CRICKET: ROYTON made it successive Lake Garage CLL derby victories at the weekend thanks to a convincing seven-wickets defeat of Oldham in a rain-hit match at the Pollards.

Heavy showers delayed yesterday’s start until 4pm when a 25 overs per side match got under way with Oldham batting.

Chris McDonnell's men made a useful 156 for seven with pro Kamran Hussain hitting 42, Craig Joy an unbeaten 34 and Craig Taylor 30.

Liam Brown (two for 28), deputy pro Michael Swart (two for 29) and overseas amateur Chris Hutchinson (two for 30) were the pick of the Royton bowlers.

Royton, winners against Crompton the previous day, scored the runs needed with 17 balls to spare, reaching 157 for three thanks to Ryan Carruthers' unbeaten 63, Swart's 46 and 28 not out from skipper Alan Durose.

WERNETH stand-in pro Mohammed Zaman Khan, the former Crompton paid man, smashed an unbeaten 82 to steer the team to four points at Middleton.
The hosts made 189 for eight in this 42-overs match, pro Michael Smith scoring 71 and George Walker 46.

But Werneth passed that score for the loss of just two wickets, with Zaman Khan the cornerstone of their innings.

CROMPTON'S woes continued with an eight-wickets home defeat against Milnrow.
Crompton made 120 for seven off 30 overs – their former player Ryan Mayes taking three for 37 – and Milnrow replied with 123 for two thanks to John Newnham's 51 not out and 41 from Alex Scholefield.