Honours shared in title battles

THE VICTORS became the vanquished as title rivals Shaw and Heyside shared derby spoils in the Saddleworth and District Cricket League.

After a comfortable 77-run win on Saturday, Andy Young’s Shaw team had to bow down to Nick Campbell’s Heyside at Little Hey Street yesterday. The difference between the two sides this time was a resounding 10 wickets.

With Uppermill suffering a shock defeat to Friarmere, second-placed Shaw will feel they have missed a trick. The gap is 18 points, with Heyside breathing down their necks a point further back.

While Saturday’s game had its similarities — an avalanche of wickets in both innings — the return clash was dominated by Heyside.

First Bromwell Godea’s five for 19 haul — the overseas amateur from South Africa also bagged five wickets 24 hours earlier — helped shoot out Shaw for just 140.

And then John Selby, with 77, and Ben Holt (54) held the reins as Heyside swept across the winning line in the most emphatic of fashions.

Holt’s knock was a far cry from 24 hours earlier when he picked out Tom Rowlands at mid-on in the first over of Heyside’s reply.

Joe Whitehead was Shaw’s leading light in the first encounter at Holebottom Clough.

Promoted to the top of the order in recent weeks, the 23-year-old struck his maiden century for the first team with a superb knock of 106, which included eight sixes and nine fours.

Whitehead did have a slice of luck, though. He was back in the dressing room, removing his pads and gloves after being run out, only to be called back when it was decided that professional Khurram Shehzad should be the man to walk after both players finished up at the same end.

He grabbed his lifeline, and it was a good job he did as the Shaw innings, which promised to go beyond 270, subsided to 210 all out after they lost their last six wickets for only 13 runs.

Heyside fared even worse as their final five batsmen departed for two runs as Shehzad, with five for 32, and overseas amateur Jawad Haq (five for 52), who bowled 20 consecutive overs, weaved their magic.

Selby, with eight fours, made a belligerent 53, while pro Roelof Hugo, Godea, Campbell and Steven Firth were unable to build on steady starts.