Leaders shattered by Lord and Hadfield

SO CLOSE . . . Moorside’s Danny Anchor survives an lbw appeal by Stayley’s Mudassar Butt.

CRICKET:

SADDLEWORTH’S 'B' team produced A-star performances in a thrilling five-wicket win over leaders Heyside at Well-i-Hole yesterday.

Brian Lord and Bradley Hadfield were the perfect pair, adding 73 in seven overs to steer the side to an improbable success.

While skipper Lord nudged his way to an unbeaten 77, Hadfield bludgeoned 53 not out from only 24 balls.

It was exhilarating stuff from the talented 19 year old, who hit straight and long and thoroughly deserved the applause from both sets of players as he walked in.

After posting 249 for nine on a good track, Heyside seemed to have a stranglehold on this Saddleworth League clash.

Professional Gerrie Snyman hit 86, including 17 boundaries, and put on 104 with Ryan Barnes (48) after they came together on 49 for three, while Steven Firth (44 from 23 balls) and Danny Cashin (31) put bat to ball with some force.

Saddleworth steadily rebuilt their reply after the loss of Lou Adair in the first over, with Peter Skuse (51) and Lord taking the total to 118.

The fall of Steve Howard (12) and Ben Willis (five) tipped the balance firmly in Heyside’s favour, and when Steve Taylor, who hit three sixes and two fours in a rapid 32, departed, all seemed lost for Saddleworth.

But the exuberance of youth came to the fore as Lord, who is not much older than his match-winning partner, and Hadfield lifted Saddleworth’s noses over the line.

It was a big chance gone begging for Heyside as title rivals Bamford Fieldhouse were also beaten. The gap between them now stands at 31 points.

Fielding their second team – the first XI featuring ex-England and Lancashire wicketkeeper Warren Hegg were playing Westhoughton the ECB Cup – Bamford were bowled out for 75 in reply to Glodwick's 152 at Hollin Lane.

Imran Asghar did most of the damage with six for 19.

On an enthralling afternoon of cricket, Uppermill, humbled by Micklehurst 24 hours earlier, held their nerve to defeat Moorside by two runs at Turf Pit Lane.

Defending 185, Matt Taylor’s team looked to have it all to do after Richard Baines and Francis Sutherland put on 113 for the first wicket.

Even with 10 overs to go, the odds were on a Moorside win as they moved on to 148 for three.

The turning point came with the wicket of overseas amateur Francois Mostert, who was stumped off a wide.

Moorside required 10 runs off the last six balls, but they only managed seven. Taylor's half-a-dozen overs at the end cost just 21 and he claimed two wickets.

Third-wicket pair Fakar Zaman and Abdul Khan were in belligerent mood for Hollinwood, who racked up 361 for seven in a 130-run triumph over Micklehurst at Castle Lane.

The former blasted 17 fours and 10 sixes in a mighty 162 – the best knock from an amateur in Division One so far this season – and the latter struck 119, which included 14 fours and seven sixes. The duo put on 274.