Frustration for skipper Taylor

CRICKET:

CROMPTON captain Carl Taylor has spoken of his frustration at his team’s inability to cash in on potentially-winning situations in the Lake Garage CLL.

The Glebe Street side have been languishing in the bottom two alongside Ashton for virtually the whole of the season.

But they have been competitive in many games, particularly when bowling first.

A prime example was Sunday’s game at Walsden, where the hosts were skittled for only 138, Danny Taylor taking four wickets for three runs and Sami Ullah three for 52.

But Crompton completely lost the plot when making their reply.

Steven Wright scored an excellent unbeaten 51, but lacked any support.

Extras was the only other double-figure score as Crompton were skittled for a miserable 79 in 23.4 overs.

The skipper was not amused — and he didn’t hide his own part in his team’s downfall.

“Last season I made nearly 500 runs, but this year I can’t seem to get the ball off the square,” he admitted.

“The whole batting line-up is struggling for runs. We turn up early for matches to get a knock-up and we have also tried to get some batting practice at training on Tuesday nights, but for the last few weeks it’s just been too wet.

“Poor shot selection and a lack of confidence are costing batsmen their wickets and there is a tendency for them to leave the responsibility of getting the runs we need to someone else.

“And it didn’t help on Sunday when our pro was given out lbw to a ball which hit him on the waist.

“There is a saying up here about the ‘Crompton collapse’, but we have to get out of that bad habit.”

Other contributing factors to Sunday’s defeat were the absences of Aqib Zulfiqar (food poisoning) and Mohammed Naveed (ill, in bed) and the youngsters who came into the side from the second team lacked the necessary experience.

Things can only get better for Crompton, but if they are to do so starting on Saturday, Taylor’s men must cause the shock of the season by beating Norden at Woodhouse Lane.

But Taylor remains optimistic.

He said: “Our bowling is very competitive — only a few teams have made above 200 against us this year and none of them have got to 250.

“If we can bowl well against Norden, you never know.”




IT’S not often you score almost 150 runs in a weekend yet end up on the losing side twice.



But that’s what happened to Werneth batsman Matt Taylor, whose unbeaten 101 at Radcliffe and 43 at home to Oldham proved to be in vain.