Moore stars, but Bamford lift cup

Photo: Picture: Chris Sunderland.

END of the road: Stuart Moore’s exciting knock comes to an end.

CRICKET:

STUART MOORE’S last-ditch heroics so nearly swung the Tanner Cup final in Heyside’s favour at Hollin Lane yesterday – but it was Bamford Fieldhouse’s day in the end.

The number 10 batsman lifted the hopes of team-mates and supporters alike by blasting 53 from only 26 deliveries. But when Heyside were dreaming of a stunning victory, the club’s ex-professional Mel Austin dashed their hopes.

Moore’s brilliant effort – he also bagged three for 25 – quite rightly earned him the man-of-the-match award, but it was only a consolation prize as Bamford clinched victory by 27 runs.

Although Austin and Martin Smith made initial breakthroughs, the home side’s third consecutive success in the Saddleworth and District Cricket League’s knock-out competition also owed much to Grant Hodnett and Marlon Black.

Bowling in tandem, the leg-spinner and medium-pacer respectively kept Heyside tied down in the middle part of the reply.

Hodnett, Bamford’s pro, may have made only 11 with the bat – he was brilliantly stumped by opposite number Roelof Hugo – but he more than proved his worth the ball.

Scott Bloor and Mark Barnes succumbed to the ex-Gloucestershire man, whose nine overs of consistent turn cost a measly 19 runs.

Black’s nine-over spell went for 20 as he, too, kept scoring opportunities to a minimum. Six of those runs came from one Moore shot.

Nick Campbell, the Heyside skipper, couldn’t have asked for anything more of his bowlers or his fielders.

Bamford, who were asked to bat first after a rain delay of 45 minutes, recovered from the early loss of Hodnett to take the total to 88, at which point Dave Roberts was held expertly by Campbell on the boundary in Danny Cashin’s first over.

Simon Wright blitzed to 23 from 22 balls, including two huge sixes, and alongside captain Paddy McKeown was teeing up Bamford for a score in excess of 250.

But 129 for two became 169 all out. Wright was caught out of his crease by Cashin, who deflected the ball on to the stumps from McKeown’s full-bloodied drive. McKeown was stumped the very next delivery.

Cashin also had Peter Roberts trapped at slip as he recorded figures of three for 35.

Bloor, the fifth bowler used by Heyside, snared Black and Neil Williams, while Moore removed Austin and Kyle Hodnett. Last man Jason Maher was run out.

Heyside were in the box seat – but not for long.

Austin and Smith reduced Heyside to 28 for four - Ben Holt and dangerman Hugo appeared aggrieved to be given out caught behind – before Bloor fell to Hodnett with the total on 56. Mark Barnes, who never looked at ease, was next to go, quickly followed by Liam Garnett.

Campbell, the hero of Heyside’s triumph over Bamford in the 2008 final, was stuck between a rock and a hard place – go for it and risk losing his wicket or pick up ones and twos and keep the scoreboard ticking over.

He was eventually stumped by Maher for 26, one of five victims for the recalled ‘keeper, and when Ryan Barnes holed out to Peter Roberts with the score on 97, the game was as good as up for Heyside. Or was it?

Moore’s plan was simple – launch everything. His first ball went for six and five more followed.

Even the sun, which had shone brightly for most of the afternoon, couldn’t bear to look as it hid behind the clouds.

With rain falling Austin, who had served Heyside for more than a decade, finished the job by dismissing Moore. Moments later, the sun re-emerged.