Bragging rights go to Oldham

Photo: Picture by CHRIS SUNDERLAND.

Oldham’s Liam Garnett has a narrow escape off Middleton’s Dale Highton.

DERBY matches often fail to live up to their billing, but yesterday’s showdown between Crompton and Oldham at Glebe Street was a cracker in terms of entertainment and shifting fortunes.

The bare result shows that Oldham were comfortable winners by 43 runs.

But this was a game which could have gone either way, with both sides holding the upper hand on a couple of occasions before Oldham’s bowlers settled the issue.

Crompton started the day at the top of the Lake Garage CLL table, but it was Oldham who struck the first blow, skipper Mel Whittle winning the toss and electing to bat under an unforgiving sun.

Opening batsman Paul Thompson made a quick exit, caught at second slip by Crompton skipper Simon Wright off Javon Searles, but his fellow opener Naveed Mohammed teamed up with professional Chinthaka Jayasinghe to share a stand of 90 which, on reflection, proved to be a matchwinner.

Jayasinghe, who played beautifully, hit eight fours in his 57-ball knock of 51, but his innings came to an unfortunate end when he attempted to pull Searles but only succeeded in gloving on to his pad and then seeing the ball dislodge a bail.

Mohammed, who fully deserved his half-century which included six boundaries and came off 72 balls, was bowled by a well-pitched up Kevnin Stoute delivery and Oldham were 121 for three, still in a good position, but hardly one of invincibility.

Buoyed by his wicket, professional Stoute stepped up a gear and snared Oldham overseas amateur Nick Maree, who misjudged a lively delivery and skied the ball to Simon Wright at square leg.

Stoute was on a roll and the real fireworks of the innings came with Oldham on 137.

Liam Garnett shouldered arms at a Stoute offcutter which hit off stump and Jason Maher went next ball, trapped lbw by a full delivery.

Neil Inkpen was entrusted to keep out the hat-trick ball, but Stoute got through his defences with a pearler which ripped out off stump.

Chris McDonnell was watching all this from the other end and it was mainly down to him that Oldham were able to limp their way to 168 all out.

Stuart Moore, back in the Oldham team after a short rest from cricket, was superbly caught at deep mid-on by Darren Graham off Stoute, while number five batsman McDonnell made 29 and was ninth man out, caught behind by Dane Fletcher off Majid Khan.

Stoute finished with superb figures of seven for 68, but Crompton were to pay a heavy price for their professional’s efforts in bowling 18 overs in such sweltering heat.

Searles had done likewise, but he seemed unaffected and - promoted to opener - set about the Oldham bowlers with a vengeance.

He was dropped early in his innings by Ryan Mayes at third man, but smashed a quickfire 36 before holing out to Mayes, running round from the long-on boundary.

Searles was the first of five victims for Moore, who made a triumphant return to action with a fine display of controlled medium pace bowling.

Searles had shared an opening stand of 59 with Graham, and the latter was dismissed eight runs later, leg before wicket at the hands of Moore.

Moore and Liam Garnett had taken over from opening bowlers Whittle and Jayasinghe and it was Garnett, bowling with plenty of pace, who made it 68 for three when he clean bowled Simon Wright with a full, fast delivery.

Stoute, who often opens for Crompton, came in at five and was clearly dehydrated following his bowling exploits. He was twice treated for cramp and given water and it was obvious that he was going to go for boundaries in a bid to avoid running.

But, having reached 11, he clipped Moore to McDonnell at mid-wicket and, on 86 for four, with most of their big guns back in the dressing room, Crompton were in trouble.

Steven Wright was next to go, leg before to Moore, and two runs later it was 98 for six when Garnett’s terrific throw from the boundary edge ran out Darren Lee as he attempted a third run.

The in-form Majid Khan scored only six before being caught at slip by Jayasinghe off Whittle and although Dane Fletcher and Danny Cashin gave Crompton hope, their dismissals off Moore and Whittle respectively ended the home team’s resistance, Oldham skittling them for 125.

Crompton need to regroup after this setback, but Oldham will be cock-a-hoop following the second of two weekend wins which continued their relentless progress up the table.

SIMON Harmer’s unbeaten 90 steered Royton to victory over Werneth in yesterday’s second derby match.

Home team Werneth took first guard and made 203 for nine, professional Luke Procter taking four for 68. Amazingly, Werneth’s top score was extras (52).

In reply, Royton made 205 for five, Procter supporting overseas amateur Harmer with 46.

Sunday scores: Crompton 125 (Searles 36, Moore 5-32, Whittle 3-25), Oldham 168 (Mohammed 52, Jayasinghe 51, Stoute 7-68); Middleton 124, Littleborough 125-6 (Keiser 57, Highton 5-48); Milnrow 211 (Brown 85, Bebb 41, Hall 39, Currency 5-77), Rochdale 207-9 (Brierley 68, Smith 50, Holder 43, John 4-81); Monton and Weaste 121-1 (Dale 56 n.o., Duxbury 50), Norden 120 (Sharma 3-29, Din 3-30, Duxbury 3-30); Radcliffe 136 (Tariq 68, Daniel 7-28), Ashton 217-8 (O’Connor 40, Daniel 38, Hussain 37, Tariq 4-85); Unsworth 251-6 (Wiggans 67, Madsen 52, Hough 4-60), Clifton 253-7 (Nisar 116 n.o., Letshele 66); Walsden 191 (Hooson 71, Thompson 40, Cheetham 6-54), Heywood 196-3 (Blight 86 n.o., Cross 46); Werneth 203-9 (Procter 4-68) , Royton 205-5 (Harmer 90 n.o., Procter 46).