League draw up rain plans

WHILE the seniors lost to the Lancashire County League, Saddleworth and District Cricket League’s colts faired much better. Andrew Cadd’s side won their opening group game in the Readers Inter-League Competition on a faster run rate. The Saddleworth League’s next group game is at home to the Bolton League on July 8. Pictured is Drew Fullalove, bowled after making a defiant 26. Picture by Neil Cadd.

CRICKET:

WITH more rain forecast, Saddleworth Cricket League officials have drawn up contingency plans for this weekend’s cup ties.

Second-round fixtures in the Tanner and Moore Cups are due on Saturday, when clubs will try to seal a place in the last four of both competitions.

If rain interrupts play again — the previous two sets of league fixtures were abandoned without a ball being bowled — ties will be carried to Monday and subsequent nights until completed.

June 23 originally set aside as reserve for round two, but the date has already been filled with April 22 fixtures when rain stopped all play.

The league’s decision may have an impact on the Twenty20 Cup. All first-round ties were called off last Friday due to rain. Two of the five games have been rearranged for tomorrow — Austerlands v Greenfield and Shaw v Uppermill — with the other three due next week.

But if any of the Tanner or Moore Cup ties are held over from Saturday, they will take precedence over any Twenty20 Cup commitments on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. In this case Twenty20 games will be played on or before June 28, and failing that, a bowl-out or coin toss will determine the winners. The second round is on July 6.






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