Weekend Review: Greater Manchester Cricket League

Here's what happened in the Greater Manchester Cricket League over the weekend.

Premier Division

Denton St Lawrence on now well on target for a league and cup double.  After a surprise defeat at the hands of Greenfield seven days previously they bounced back with a comfortable 63 run win over Monton.  DSL totalled 198 with the statistical oddity of ‘extras’ top scoring with 42.  Pro Neil Hornbuckle managed only 17 with the bat but stepped up with ball, finishing with 5-35.  On Sunday they travelled to Roe Green in the Cup semi-final and the hosts totalled 197-9 with the wickets being shared around a 5 man DSL attack.  The game went to the penultimate over, with DSL eventually coming out on top by 4 wickets with Adam Hawley featuring with 69.  DSL will now meet Royton, (who overcame Woodhouses in the other semi-final), in the final at Roe Green on 4th August.

Stand 89ao Egerton 191-6; Clifton 157ao Flixton 257ao; Woodbank 164-9 Greenfield 165-6; Denton SL 198ao Monton 135ao; Royton 119ao Prestwich 158ao; Roe Green 162ao Woodhouses 208-7

Division 1A

Moorside went to the top of the table after beating previous leaders Denton West by 5 wickets.  West were blown away for 81, inside 22 overs, with Nimroe Latagan taking 4-34.  Moorside did lose 5 wickets reaching the target – the defeat for Wests meant that they fell down to 3rd place as  Glodwick easily beat Swinton Moorside and moved into 2nd spot.  Glossop impressed as they trounced Heywood by 8 wickets at North Road.  Heywood were dismissed for 110, (Cameron Ball 4-33).  It was quickfire Glossop reply as they romped home by 8 wickets, (Daniel Eyre 58*). Flowery Field had an equally emphatic win over rock bottom Unsworth who had no answer after Flowery totalled 185, (Ben Mason top scoring with 70).  Mike Finan made it 48 wickets for the season as he finished with 6-24 as Unsworth folded for 50 in less than 20 overs.  Finan’s excellent performances this year have been rewarded with a call up to the Cheshire Minor Counties team. Denton’s decline continued as they went down by 116 runs at Brooksbottom.  It was the Egerton Street club’s 5th defeat in the last 7 completed games and they now lie 9th.  Denton did reach 77-2 in reply to 217-4 but then saw 8 wickets fall for the addition of only a further 24 runs.

Brooksbottom 217-4 Denton 101ao; Glossop 106-2 Heywood 104ao; Swinton Moorside 178ao Glodwick 181-3; Unsworth 50ao Flowery Field 185ao; Moorside 85-5 Denton West 81ao; Austerlands 189-6 Uppermill 188-5

Division 1B

All 3 local teams lost and now find themselves facing a relegation battle in the remaining 8 weeks.  Droylsden faced a tough trip to high flyers Astley and Tyldesley and so it proved as they were set 227 for the win despite a decent return of 5-33 from overseas man Donovan Aucamp.  The Droylsden reply centred around Nick Goldstraw, (44), but with no real support from elsewhere they fell short by 77 runs. Dukinfield stumbled to 115-8 at Bury who reached the target easily for a 7 wicket win.  Stayley would have been hopeful of a shock win at 2nd placed Walshaw after dismissing them for 121, (pro Munir Tanzil 5-28).  The Stayley reply was effectively derailed as they went from 30-1 to 45-6 in the space of 29 balls and there was to be no comeback as they eventually finished 25 adrift.

Astley & Tyldesley 226ao Droylsden 149ao; Bury 119-3 Dukinfield 115-8; Edgworth 197-7 Heyside 164-9; Greenmount 141ao Westleigh 142-9; Walshaw 121ao Stayley 96ao; Whalley Range 140-6 Thornham 139-7

Division 2A

Micklehurst have gone off the boil in the last few weeks and fell to a 5th successive loss , but it was a thrilling finish at Richmond Hill.  Skipper Jonny Forrester got 88 in the Micklehurst total of 171.  They would have fancied the winning points when Bury 2nd XI were left with 17 to get off nine balls with the last pair at the crease.  However, experienced Gary Garner took control and Bury got home with just a ball to spare.   Shaw and Elton share top spot and it is only Winton who can stop them from keeping the promotion places come mid-September.

Elton Vale 53ao  Elton 180-6; Littleborough Lakeside 83ao Shaw 162-5; Prestwich 2nd XI 133ao Glossop 2nd XI 148ao; Winton 182-9 Roe Green 2nd XI 173ao; Micklehurst 171ao Bury 2nd XI 172-9;  Werneth v East Lancs PM – no play

Division 2B

In the third game of the season Edenfield beat Ashton by 10 wickets and sadly for the Rayner Lane team it was a repeat as they tumbled for 60ao.  Ashton now travel to Deane & Derby this Saturday hoping to bounce back.  When the teams met at Rayner Lane earlier this year Ashton just missed out in a fairly close run game.  At the top Friarmere continued their march to the title after a comprehensive 8 wicket win at Denton West 2nd XI.

Denton West 2nd XI 166ao Friarmere 168-2; SW Manchester v Oldham N/A; Tottington St Johns 152ao Deane & Derby 154-4; Wythenshawe v Stretford – N/A ; Ashton 60ao Edenfield 61-0; Greenfield 2nd XI 127-8 Whalley Range 2nd XI 131-3

Division 3 East

Denton 2nd XI 140-5 Stand 2nd XI 136-8; Dukinfield 2nd XI 81ao Springhead 172ao; Flowery Field 2nd XI 209-4 Unsworth 2nd XI 162ao; Heywood 2nd XI 110-8 Saddleworth 177ao; Oldham 2nd XI 106ao Werneth 2nd XI 108-7; Glodwick 2nd XI 162ao Denton SL 2nd XI 144ao

Division 4 East

Ashton Ladysmith went down by 5 wickets at Stayley 2nd XI after posting a meagre 67ao and are now 9th in the table.  The top of the table game between Friarmere 2nd XI and United Stars fell victim to the elements.  Ladysmith now hosts a Heyside 2nd XI team which reached the 2nd XI Championship Cup final with a win on Sunday.

Thornham 2nd XI 140-9 Failsworth Macedonia 67ao; Woodhouses 2nd XI 97ao Moorside 2nd XI 101-2; Newton Heath 109-6 Ashton 2nd XI 108-7; Heyside 2nd XI v Royton 2nd XI – no play ; Stayley 2nd XI 70-5 Ashton Ladysmith 67ao; Friarmere 2nd XI v  United Stars – no play

Cup Semi-Finals

Derek Kay Cup Roe Green 197-9 Denton SL 203-6; Royton 192ao Woodhouses 169ao

1st XI League Cup Friarmere 128ao Shaw 262-9; Stretford 119ao Westleigh 121-6

1st XI Championship Cup Failsworth Macedonia 64ao United Stars 65-1

2nd XI Premier Cup Denton SL 214-6 Clifton 217-4; Prestwich 140-2 Greenfield 136ao

2nd XI Championship Cup Heyside 212-5 Littleborough Lakeside 210ao; Austerlands 144-9 Winton 109ao

by Martin Frost