Spinner Hutchinson stars as Oldham are seen off

CRICKET:

ON a day when Werneth were promoted to the Premier Division of the Lake Garage CLL without facing a ball, Royton cemented their own claim with a hard-fought derby victory over Oldham at the Pollards.

It was a frustrating Sunday for Oldham, who twice held the upper hand.

After batting first in a fixture reduced to 38 overs a side following rain, they raced to 80 for none thanks to Abdul Qayyum’s quickfire 57.

But then Royton overseas amateur Chris Hutchinson was brought into the bowling attack - with awesome results.

In only 5.5 overs the spinner took seven wickets for 24 runs as Oldham collapsed to 128 all out.

When Royton’s Aussie professional Ben Dunk, playing his last game before returning home, was caught on the boundary to make it 47 for four, the visitors were in trouble.

Luckily a fifth-wicket stand of 80 between Liam Brown (31) and Tony Walsh (40 not out) steadied the ship for second-placed Royton, who closed the gap on Werneth to nine points.

Werneth’s game at Radcliffe was abandoned without a ball being bowled, giving Matt Taylor’s men two points and leaving them mathematically safe in the top two placings with just five fixtures remaining.

Crompton virtually lost any lingering hope of promotion when they succumbed by three runs to Monton and Weaste at Glebe Street.