Brierley paces it right for champs

Royton put in their place after bright start
CRICKET: NORDEN showed everyone why they are likely to retain their Lake Garage CLL title when they comfortably overcame in-form Royton at the Paddock.

Following six successive league and cup wins, Royton had every reason to be in buoyant mood for their biggest test of the season so far.

But they fell well short of their expectations, losing by 109 runs as the reigning league champions showed their class and strength in depth.

Taking first guard, Norden never got away from Royton, whose bowlers kept the run rate down on a wicket which always offered some assistance, particularly to the spinners.

The early loss of Hashim Malik and Steve Stewart did not faze overseas amateur Mark Lemm or the experienced Nick Brierley and the pair took the score to 88 in workmanlike fashion before the former was bowled by Alan Durose.

Brierley mixed boundaries with studied ones and twos and had clearly worked out that this was a pitch on which anything approaching 200 would take some chasing down.

And so it proved. Brierley went on to make an unbeaten 96 off 130 balls and was the rock of the Norden innings as the visitors finished their 50 overs on 189 for five.

Royton professional Luke Procter, back in the side following his successful stint for Lancashire, took just one wicket, but provided the highlight of the innings when he ran out Harvey Fitton with a direct hit.

Skipper Durose was easily the best bowler, his 20 overs of spin yielding just 47 runs for the capture of two wickets.

Royton began their reply confidently enough, putting on 18 for the first wicket before Ryan Carruthers was bowled by Chris Hartley.

Chris Hutchinson went cheaply soon after, but it was the loss of Procter for just three which proved to be the fatal blow for Royton.

Chasing a second run, he seemed to be well in his ground when a direct hit from a boundary throw prompted the umpire to put up his finger.

Wickets tumbled with regularity as off spinner Oliver Makin made hay in the evening sunshine.

When the last Royton wicket fell with the score on 80, Makin had taken five for 25 from just 10.5 overs.

And the hosts were left to go back to the drawing board with next Sunday's John Willie Lees Wood Cup tie against the same opponents at the Paddock in mind.