Youngsters to set cup final alight

CRICKET:

SECOND teams take centre stage in the Saddleworth and District Cricket League on Sunday.

Moore Cup final day sees Saddleworth with home advantage against in-form Friarmere at Well-i-Hole (1pm). The visitors have won 13 games on the spin and in Zak Arshad boast a youngster of rich promise.

The all-rounder, who took five for 25 against Shaw last weekend, goes head-to-head with another emerging talent in Saddleworth’s James Howard

Believed to be the youngest player to record a century in league history — he scored 112 not out aged 14 years, five months and 29 days earlier in the season — he has made his mark in the club’s first team as well as catching the eye of Lancashire.

The hosts are favourites to prevail as they also include a clutch of players with plenty of experience.

But Friarmere are on a roll and their skipper, Rizwan Khan, will hope all-rounders Arshad and Mohammed Waqas, batsmen Israr Ahmed and Asif Khan, plus the knowhow of John Patterson, can inspire a first Moore Cup triumph since 1979.

Meanwhile, after seven defeats in a row, Hollinwood firsts are in desperate need of a pick-me-up this weekend. Five of those losses have been in the league, while the other two were in the semi-finals of the Tanner Cup and the last-eight of the Twenty20 Cup.

The latter was against Droylsden, whom they visit tomorrow.

Hollinwood’s poor run of form has seen them tumble to second-bottom in the table. The latest setback, at home to Heyside, saw them out for a meagre 63.

Droylsden, with a place at T20 finals’ day booked, are going along quite nicely in ninth place.

At the top of the table, Bamford Fieldhouse play host to an Uppermill side probably still recovering from the after-effects of the eight-hour Tanner Cup marathon against Moorside, which ended in a tie.

Glodwick, second, go to Greenfield and will be lifted by the news that professional Rehan Rafiq has signed for a fourth season at Warren Lane.
Heyside, who are coming back to their best after a sticky spell, visit Moorside.