Top-dogs ’Mill deserve kudos

THREE-IN-A-ROW: Bamford Fieldhouse captain Paddy McKeown holds the Tanner Cup after victory over Heyside. It completed a hat-trick of wins in the competition for the Hollin Lane club.

CRICKET: UPPERMILL ended Bamford Fieldhouse’s four-year domination of the Saddleworth and District Cricket League by claiming their first title for 27 years.



Bamford did hang on to the Tanner Cup, while Saddleworth wrecked Heyside’s bid for a hat-trick of Twenty20 honours.

Here, we look back on the 2011 season.




If the glove fits...



WICKETKEEPER Alex Griffiths was terrific as Uppermill’s leader.

A great competitor, he also ensured that each member of his side knew their job.

And although 100-wicket man Imran Aslam took many of the plaudits, everyone who represented the first team deserve a big pat on the back.




False start...



UPPERMILL’S opening match on a warm April day ended in defeat to local rivals Greenfield.

They went on to win their next nine in the league until losing to Friarmere on June 19 — one of only three defeats in the competition for the worthy champions.




Instant impact...



GRANT Hodnett burst on to the Saddleworth League scene by smashing 200 for Bamford Fieldhouse against Friarmere on the first day of the season.

The former Gloucestershire man ended with 1,249 runs in his debut campaign.




Swapping sides...



AFTER five successful years as Heyside’s professional, Roelof Hugo is joining Moorside as their paid man in 2012.

It will be the South African wicketkeeper-batsman’s final season in England, and his signing is sure to inspire the lads from Turf Pit Lane.

Moorside need a pick-me-up. With only three wins in the league, the last being on May 14, they finished a long way last.




Hat-trick heroes...



DENIED a fifth straight title, Bamford Fieldhouse did have the satisfaction of winning a third consecutive Tanner Cup, despite the late-order efforts of Stuart Moore, who bludgeoned 53 runs from 26 deliveries.




Missing link...



THE departure of Simon Marshall had a huge bearing on Bamford Fieldhouse’s failed bid for a fifth title on the spin.

The former Lancashire man finished top of the batting and bowling averages in 2010, scoring more than 1,000 runs and taking 40 wickets.

Of the amateurs in the season just gone, only Dave Roberts scored more than 500 runs for Bamford.

With Simon Wright and Roberts heading to Crompton in 2012, the Hollin Lane outfit have a bit of rebuilding to do.



Comeback kid...



NOT so much a kid these days, Darren Shadford (above, right) won the batting prize — Rahul Panta, because he is an overseas amateur, did not qualify.

The Friarmere all-rounder showed his worth by assuming his more preferred role up the batting order. He also bagged more than 50 wickets.

One thing, though, Darren. Don’t act the fool the next time the Chronicle take a team picture.




Ones to watch...



STICKING with Friarmere, Asif Qayyum finally came good after previously showing only glimpses of what he is capable of.

Boasting a highest score of 155 in 2011 — the best by an amateur — Qayyum is good enough to dismantle any league bowling attack and, if he is able curb his big-hitting tendencies just a little bit, he is sure to be a major force in 2012.

Joe Whitehead, of Shaw, falls into the same bracket.

With his first century behind him in Division One — his ton won Shaw the match against local rivals Heyside — Whitehead is now a first-team regular at Holebottom Clough.



...and finally


Play to the final whistle...



CHANGING batting orders, wicketkeepers turning their arm over and stupid declarations.

They added up to a very unsatisfactory last day. Is it really worth it for the hassle it can cause and, in the case of this season, it has caused?



ADAM Brown has captured the Neil Parrish Trophy for the most dismissals by a wicketeeper in 2011.

The Glodwick player recorded 24 catches and 14 stumpings.