Perplexed Pote eyes change of fortune

SAME OLD STORY: Michael Pote endured a typical slice of bad luck at Heywood in the John Willie Lees Wood Cup when he was run out after a shot from the opposite end was deflected on to the stumps by Riley Paterson.

CRICKET:

MICHAEL Pote’s luck simply has to change.

Crompton’s professional has had plenty of it since arriving in England from South Africa — all of it bad.

A string of unfortunate dismissals has left the Glebe Street paid man frustrated — and his latest setback almost ruled him out of cricket.

Walking to the gym last week, something bit him on the face, but he thought little of it. Later his left eye swelled up and he went to the Royal Oldham Hospital, where doctors thought he had been bitten by a spider or stung by a bee and put him a course of antibiotics. As a rssult he only scraped into the team for last weekend’s game at Monton and Weaste. His eye is now significantly better and he will be in the team this weekend.

“It’s just not been his season. We see him in the nets and early in his innings and you can tell he is a quality player,” said Crompton skipper Carl Taylor

“He gets out in unlucky ways - two or three dodgy lbws, caught behind when it has deflected off his pad, and some freak catches. But there are nine games to go and there’s time to turn it round.”

The push for promotion to the premier division of the CLL reaches a decisive moment on Saturday, when Crompton plays at Royton.

The hosts have a 13-point advantage, and a home victory would surely end Crompton’s hopes.

“It’s a game we have to win,” said taylor. “We will field our strongest side for it.”

Among the opposition is Royton pro Ben Dunk, who passed the 1,000-run landmark for the season last weekend with a knock of 192 — his fifth century of the season.