Title race heads down to the last

ONE-HANDED: Royton bowler Adam Good reaches for the ball after a shot from Werneth batsman Matt Taylor

CRICKET: ROYTON inflicted the second defeat of the weekend on Werneth and set up a dramatic finale to the Lake Garage CLL Championship season.

Yesterday’s derby at the Coppice was one Royton had to win to keep alive their title hopes and deny Werneth the luxury of a cushion entering the last three fixtures of the campaign.

And they did it with a 78-run victory, putting the teams level on points. Werneth remain top by virtue of having one more outright win.

Having been put into bat, Royton made light of their task with some excellent batting from opener Khurram Hussain.

The 18-year-old prospect deserved a century but had to settle for 91, which included 12 fours and two sixes as Royton raced to 235 for six.

Only one Werneth player registered in the wickets column, spinner Rash Khan taking five for 53.

Werneth needed a good start to their reply, but lost wickets at regular intervals.

Adam Good led the way for Royton with six for 74 in a home total of 153, but it was Snyman who dealt the killer blow, bowling Werneth pro Mohammed Zaman Khan for 36.

With Khan gone, so had Werneth’s hopes of a victory which would have virtually clinched the title.

Now, it’s game on.


CROMPTON suffered a disapppointing five-wicket defeat at Ashton.
Despite 44 from Darren Lee and 37 from pro Michael Pote, Crompton were bowled out for 152 with leg spinner Robert Gleave taking six for 35. In reply, Ashton made 155 for five thanks to 35 from Kadodia and 34 from Patel.


OLDHAM’S misery continued with a six-wicket defeat at home to Unsworth, who dismissed their hosts for 62, paid man Chris Williams taking six for 28.
Unsworth reached their lowly target for the loss of four wickets.


WALSDEN have one hand on the Premier Division title following a 10-point weekend and two defeats for Heywood, who had been their nearest challengers.
Walsden beat Norden by 18 runs in a tricky assignment at Woodhouse Lane yesterday.