In sight of title glory

CRICKET:

THE fat lady is beginning her final rehearsal. The race for the Armstrongs Office Furniture Saddleworth and District Cricket League title is almost over.

Barring a miracle of biblical proportions, Uppermill can pop open the champagne on Saturday – and they haven’t even got a game.

A 174-run demolition of Hollinwood, coupled with defeats for nearest rivals Heyside and Saddleworth, means the Hollingworth Challenge Cup is about to make its way to Leefields.

Professional Imran Aslam, with 109 wickets to his name so far this season, brought up a century of runs - 126 to be precise - as Uppermill raced to 321 for eight in a match reduced to 42 overs per side. Andy McVeigh weighed in with 57 and skipper Alex Griffiths hit an unbeaten 54.

Mudassar Butt took four wickets and scored 46 for Hollinwood but was unable to prevent the inevitable.

Heyside, 24 hours before the Tanner Cup final, were shot out for 138 in reply to Stayley’‚s 215.

JP Lee, the Millbrook paid man, is having a decent end to the season. A half-century (65) and four for 46 did for Nick Campbell’s men. Overseas amateur Adnan Farooq backed up with five for 62.

Saddleworth were just four runs shy of victory when their last man fell at Droylsden.

Captain Steven Howard took six for 47 as the home side were dismissed for 156. But Droylsden had their own six-wicket hero in Wasim Qasim, who left Saddleworth floundering on 153.

Andy Young, with six for 53, and Khurram Shehzad’s unbeaten 61 helped Shaw to a comfortable seven-wicket victory at Friarmere, while Mark Whitehead produced the best individual bowling display of the day – seven for 30 – as Glodwick thumped basement boys Moorside by 10 wickets in a 25 overs per side clash at Warren Lane.

There was no play in the match between Bamford Fieldhouse and Austerlands. The outfield was deemed unfit.