Saddique warns rivals Moorside

Hollinwood's Kashif Khan.

WRITE us off at your peril. That is the message from Hollinwood skipper Shakeel Saddique ahead of Sunday’s Saddleworth and District Cricket League Tanner Cup semi-final at Moorside.

The Lime Lane outfit are the underdogs after they were humbled by their last-four opponents at the beginning of last month.

Hollinwood’s bowlers conceded 304 runs and their batsmen were skittled for 83 in a hugely one-sided affair.

But Saddique has warned cricket watchers should not read too much into that result as several of his first-choice players were absent.

The Hollinwood captain, who expects to field a full-strength XI at Turf Pit Lane, reckons a shock is on the cards.

Saddique, who returned to the side last weekend after recovering from a fractured thumb, said: “We’ve got nothing to lose and all the pressure is on Moorside.

“We beat Saddleworth in the league last Saturday — I can’t remember winning at their place before — and hammered Glodwick in the Twenty20 on Sunday, so we’re not lacking in confidence.

One player who Moorside know all about is explosive batsman Kashif Khan.

Khan was noted at Turf Pit Lane for striking the ball a long way — and Hollinwood are now benefitting from his big-hitting exploits on a regular basis.

Saddique describes the middle-order batsman as their “prized asset”, and the outcome of the match could well depend on how he performs on Sunday.

There won’t be a spare bench at Ladhill Lane for the other semi-final clash between Greenfield and Uppermill.

for a full version of this story buy the Chronicle or read the digital edition on the eChron and iChron