Steve’s sweet taste of glory

Steven Cheetham

AN ICE cream and a bottle of Lucozade provided fast bowling star Steve Cheetham with the extra energy he needed to achieve an historic feat in the Lake Garage CLL.

The Clifton paceman made local cricket followers sit up and take notice when he claimed all 10 victims for his team in their nine-wicket defeat of Premier Division rivals Rochdale on Sunday.

Former Lancashire CC academy player Cheetham (25) took 10 for 18 as visitors Rochdale were blown away for only 64.

And it was the intervention of an ice cream salesman which gave Cheetham a helping hand.

“The guy in an ice cream van at the side of the ground would probably have left, but when I started taking wickets he decided to stay on and played party music every time I got someone out,” said Cheetham.

“The biggest celebration on the pitch, though, came when I got a hat-trick, all bowled, to take wickets four, five and six. He ran on the field with the ice cream and Lucozade, which was really funny.

“I was very hot and had both straight away. They certainly helped.”

With six Rochdale batsmen already in the hutch, Cheetham set his sights on beating his previous-best CLL figures of seven for 18 against Littleborough.

“I wasn’t thinking about taking all 10, to be honest. You always assume that someone at the other end will get a wicket,” he added.

“I got my seventh wicket, but I was very tired and I suggested to the skipper (Greg Jennings) that he take me out of the attack if I didn’t get a wicket in my next over.

“Thankfully, I did so and at that stage I had figures of eight for three!

“Then, when I got the ninth wicket I thought ‘I can do this’ and I trapped their last man, the overseas amateur (Shayne Wornes) who had opened the batting, leg before wicket.

“He was definitely out and actually walked straight away.

“It was an emotional moment. I really filled up and it was a powerful feeling, one of great pride.

“The Rochdale lads took it well and were all very good about it.”

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