Big hitters end trophy dreams
Reporter: Kevin Richardson
Date published: 11 July 2011
Photo: Chris Sunderland
TAKE THAT... Hollinwood batsman Shahid Naseer hits out against Moorside bowler Lee Warburton.
CRICKET: BATSMEN Matt Hawley, Lee Dale and Atif Bajwa showed no mercy as the Saddleworth and District Cricket League’s hopes of raising the Readers Lancashire Inter-League Trophy were ended at the last-four stage yesterday.
The Lancashire County League eased to a seven-wicket victory at Thornham CC with 16 balls to spare to set up a final showdown with the North Lancs and Cumbria Division on Sunday, August 14.
Useful knocks from Dave Roberts, Nick Campbell and Imran Asghar lifted the Saddleworth League side to a competitive 144 all out in a game reduced to a 20-over thrash because of rain.
But Flowery Field’s Hawley, with an unbeaten 48 from 52 balls, and Dale’s rapid 24 – no singles here as the Denton West opener hit three fours and two sixes in his 10-ball stay – quickly took the tie away from the visitors.
The Lancashire County League blasted their way to 38 in the first three overs, from which point they only had to keep their heads to clinch a place in the final.
Number four Bajwa (Denton) got in on the act with 34 from 29 balls, until he was caught by visiting captain Danny Anchor (Moorside) when the game was virtually up.
The Saddleworth League had their own big-hitters in Roberts, of Bamford Fieldhouse, and Heyside skipper Campbell.
Coming together on 24 for two, the pair rattled up 53 runs in 5.2 overs.
Roberts crunched five sixes and a four in his 24-ball knock of 37.
Campbell also made 37 from 34 balls which included a maximum as well.
The loss of Roberts was quickly followed by the dismissal of his brother and Bamford team-mate, Peter, and wicketkeeper Alex Griffiths for the addition of one run.
But Campbell found an able partner in Glodwick’s Asghar, who weighed in with 22 off 14 balls.
He swiped Lancashire County League captain and former Uppermill player Gulam Abbas over the boundary for one of his two sixes.
The Saddleworth League enjoyed some early success when it was the home side's turn to bat.
Saj Ahmed (eight) was superbly caught by Uppermill ’keeper Griffiths, who was standing up to medium-pacer Asghar.
That wicket heralded the arrival of Hawley who, along with Dale, crashed the ball to all parts of the picturesque ground.
The latter was eventually dismissed to a brilliant piece of work by Dent, who somehow managed to cling on to the ball behind his head as he was falling back.
With the score on 68, Peter Roberts put down a chance to get rid of Hawley - a huge miss, that - and the batsman did not require a second invitation to cash in on his good fortune.
Campbell, with 24 runs from four overs (his first three went for just 12), and Shaw’s Rick Harrington, who conceded 19 runs from his three overs, stood out for the Saddleworth League.
Glodwick all-rounder Mark Whitehead added Bajwa to the wicket of Dale, but it was too little, too late.
BAMFORD Fieldhouse are through to the final of the Moore Cup after defeating Moorside by seven wickets - but they are still waiting to discover their opponents.
Hollinwood are in the driving seat after reaching 134 for one, chasing 222 for victory against Glodwick.
The tie, with 18 overs remaining, resumes tonight at 6.30pm.
Scores: Glodwick 221-6 (A Pearce 53), Hollinwood 134-1 (W Munir 53) off 27 overs ˆ play resumes tonight at 6.30pm; Bamford Fieldhouse 150-2 (G Deboek 74), Moorside 146.
