Durose salutes team’s efforts

CRICKET: ALAN Durose insisted his young Royton side should hold their heads high despite defeat in yesterday's Wood Cup final.

He said: “I am very proud of the team. We have achieved so much this season and we played well in the final.

“To reach a Wood Cup final and a Twenty20 semi-final and still have a chance to finish in the top five in the league reflects the progress the team and the club is making.”

Durose felt the run out of stand-in professional Chesney Hughes was pivotal.

“That cost us the match,” he said. “We thought it had gone for four, but it hadn’t and it was a bad way for him to get out. He left the ground without saying a word to me.

“But there were positives as well. I would particularly like to mention Chris Hutchinson (Royton’s overseas amateur), who is a quiet, but passionate lad who played superbly in this game.

“He has already said he is going to come back next year and that is good news for us.

“I thought we bowled well as a unit and although a couple of catches went down, that happens.

“When Chris and I were going well, we had a chance but then we gave wickets away going for big shots when ones or twos would still have kept us in the game.

“Of course I am disappointed, but well done to Middleton who played well and carried out their plans and set a good field.

“There is still plenty for us to play for this season. We will aim to win every game and, hopefully, we can still secure a place in the top five and a spot in next season’s LCB Cup.”