Holmes inspires final victory

JUBILATION: Saddleworth celebrate their Twenty20 final victory over Heyside.

CRICKET:

SADDLEWORTH bowler Steve Holmes, with five wickets for 10 runs, wrecked Heyside’s bid for a hat-trick of Twenty20 titles.

The experienced seamer ripped out professional Roelof Hugo, in his farewell appearance for the club, and Mark Barnes, as well as Ryan Barnes, Danny Cashin and Lee Watkinson to leave the visitors from Well-i-Hole chasing a meagre 70 for victory.

Saddleworth cruised home in half-an-hour, with Ben Willis blasting 22 from eight deliveries, which included a reverse-sweep six off Nick Campbell to win the game.

However, the damage was done by Holmes as Steven Howard's side claimed their second success in the Saddleworth League competition, sponsored by 20-20 Vision of Uppermill. Their first came in 2006.

Asked to bat first in conditions which favoured the bowlers after days of rain, Heyside soon found themselves in trouble at 15 for three. Paid man Peter Skuse picked up two of the wickets and Ryan McGrath the other.

But a 42-run stand between Hugo (22) and Barnes (24) put the home side back on an even keel. The pair knew anything in the region of 120 would be a decent total considering the state of the surface.

The introduction of Holmes changed all that as Heyside collapsed big-style to 69 all out in 14.5 overs, with Saddleworth holding every catch which came their way. James Chamberlain also weighed in with a couple of wickets

Steve Taylor set the trend of the reply by hitting Tony Heaton for six off the very first ball. Heaton got his revenge two deliveries later by clinging on to an outstanding caught and bowled.

Skuse clobbered a couple of maximums in a 17-ball 22, but it was left to Willis to ease Saddleworth home in 8.1 overs — and the fans at Boundary Park hadn’t even started queuing for their half-time cuppa.