Wright seeks cutting edge

CHASING RUNS . . . Werneth skipper Matt Taylor will be hoping to lead by example this weekend.

CRICKET: 

CROMPTON will be gunning for revenge when they go to Unsworth for tomorrow’s Lake Garage CLL Championship fixture.

It’s less than a fortnight since Simon Wright’s outfit crashed out of the John Willie Lees Wood Cup at the hands of tomorrow’s opponents.

Admittedly, they won the league game at Glebe Street at the beginning of the month by one wicket, but the cup exit was painful and financially punishing.

Having made 234 for eight, Crompton were confident of victory. But an experienced bowling attack looked completely toothless as Unsworth raced to victory by seven wickets.

The recent rain should have spiced up the Unsworth wicket, which was benign for the cup tie, so Crompton will be looking to make early inroads. But whatever their fate tomorrow, Crompton ought to make home advantage count against Radcliffe 24 hours later.

The visitors have made a disappointing start to the season and if Crompton are serious about a promotion challenge they can’t afford to slip up in these types of fixtures.

Oldham, also in Championship action, have been staging a mini revival in the last fortnight. Though they have yet to win a league match, they beat Ashton in the first round of the Wood Cup and edged out Werneth in a Twenty20 thriller.

Skipper Rashid Hussain would dearly love to get some league wins on the board and a trip to old rivals Ashton and home game against Middleton 24 hours later offer a couple of reasonable opportunities.

Heywood provide the opposition for Royton tomorrow and Werneth on Sunday.

Royton, for whom Liam Mason is in dazzling form with the bat, will be hoping to restrict free-scoring Bobby Cross and Danny Pawson, as well as professional Farhaan Behardien.

And their bowlers will have to be equally accurate on Sunday against a powerful Norden batting line-up at Woodhouse Lane. Opening batsman Simon Harman is averaging over 100 so far this season, while paid man Daniel Salpietro is not far behind.

Werneth warm up for their Heywood challenge at Crimble with a home match against Rochdale.