Twenty20 finals places at stake

CLASSIC POSE . . . Crompton overseas amateur Denis Louis burst into life last weekend with a quickfire unbeaten 92 against Ashton.

CRICKET: THREE of our four local clubs have one last chance of collecting some Lake Garage CLL silverware.

Following Wood Cup defeats, and with title honours already beyond them, the JW Lees Bitter Tom Hardman Twenty20 Competition offers an alternative route to glory.

Crompton, Werneth and Royton are in quarter-final action tonight and will have one eye on finals day on July 20.

Only Royton have home advantage and the Paddock side is the one most pundits would back to make further progress. Denny Hulme’s men entertain Monton and Weaste on the back of a morale-boosting league victory over Werneth last weekend.

Crompton face a huge task at Premier Division high-fliers Norden, though they can take encouragement from the fact that Oldham pushed tonight’s hosts all the way in last month’s Wood Cup quarter-final at Woodhouse Lane.

As for Werneth, they have to dismiss paid man Clinton Perren and his sidekick Chris Schofield cheaply if they are to have any chance of upsetting Littleborough at Hare Hill.

Tomorrow’s Premier Division programme provides two huge tests for Werneth at Heywood and Royton at Norden.

Werneth’s hosts are without a regular professional after releasing Farhaan Behardien from his contract, so it will be interesting to see whom the Crimble side comes up with.

As for Championship promotion hopefuls Crompton, it’s a case of more of the same, please, when they entertain Radcliffe tomorrow. Simon Wright’s men lost only one wicket in picking up maximum points against Ashton and Oldham last weekend, and a surge up the table is a realistic aim.

Oldham continue to prop up the rest in the second tier and will be desperate for a change of fortune at home to Middleton.

Sunday sees the semi-finals of the JW Lees Bitter Wood Cup. Heywood entertain Littleborough, while Unsworth host Norden.

And Crompton’s second team are in action in the semi-finals of the Burton Cup.

They go to Norden, while Walsden are at home to Middleton.