Plenty to smile about

CRICKET:

SADDLEWORTH captain Steven Howard has three good reasons to be cheerful.

As well as steering his side to a nail-biting win double in the Saddleworth and District Cricket League last weekend, he also discovered that his son, James, had been selected for the Lancashire under-12s squad for 2011.

Howard senior played a starring role in the last-ball Tanner Cup defeat of Droylsden — he scored 94 and took four for 37 — and led an equally thrilling win over reigning champions Bamford Fieldhouse 24 hours later.

Although the victory over Bamford stood out on paper, it was the manner of Saddleworth’s never-say-die spirit against Droylsden which impressed the most.

At 46 for three in reply to 245, the Well-i-Hole outfit appeared down and out in the first-round tie.

However, thanks to the skipper’s knock and a gutsy 73 from Peter Skuse, Saddleworth got home in the final play of the game.

Howard was always confident victory would be achieved.

He said: “I thought we were going to win from quite a way out,” said Howard.

“It was strange really and I don’t know why, but I sensed it would happen.

“I just had this feeling that we were in the zone. It was a good effort.”

It got even better for Saddleworth 24 hours later as they overcame Bamford by three runs.

Howard praised the impact of former captain Skuse and medium-pace bowler James Chamberlain, who both claimed four wickets in the match.

He said: “We should have won a bit easier. I bowled a couple of expensive overs and Matt Cook also went for a few.

“But Peter and James were superb. James is bowling really well. He’s bowling one side of the wicket and getting his rewards.

“Peter has come back really strongly this season after a disappointing 2010 by his standards. He’s making a big impact.

“We lost our first three games, so it wasn’t a great start, but things have picked up since then.

“Everyone is aiming for a top-five finish to qualify for next season’s LCB Cup, but I see no reason why we can’t do it if we string a few results together.”

Meanwhile, son James plays his first game for Lancashire at under-12s level next Thursday at Durham.

The left-hand bat and leg-spin bowler was selected after impressing in two trials. He was a member of the under-11s team last term.

A Year Seven pupil at Saddleworth School, he can look forward to attending the prestigious Taunton Festival (July 31 to August 5), at which Lancashire play Gloucestershire, Devon, Surrey, Hampshire and St Stithians, from South Africa.

James has scored two 50s for Saddleworth’s under-15s so far this season.

He also broke into the club’s second team, scoring an unbeaten 19 against Bamford and taking his first wicket in match with Droylsden.