GMCL Weekend Review: Curtain Closes On Season

Other than a set of games in Division 4E this coming weekend, the league campaign ended with lots of local interest.

Flowery Field, Hadfield and Droylsden all went into Saturday’s fixtures with hopes of promotion whilst Denton needed a win to survive the drop. Flowery Field and Hadfield reached their objective and join Ashton, (crowned champions 2 weeks ago), in the local roll of honour.  Denton had a fine win to make it a decent day for local clubs generally.

Premier: 

Prestwich took the title 7 days previously, but their meeting with Woodbank brought the top 2 together and it went the way of the runners up in a low scoring encounter. Locally Denton SL cemented a top 4 place, and, with it, entry to the 2023 Lancashire KO competition, with a 3 wicket win at Clifton. 3 wickets each for pro Damitha Silva and Mark Selby restricted the hosts to 139ao.  It wasn’t an easy chase for DSL as they lost 7 wickets.  Silva top scored with 40.

Denton West closed the season with a win, and ended in 7^th place, a disappointing finish after a great start to the campaign. Another great all-round performance from Aaqib Uppal paved the way for a narrow 7 run win. He anchored the West innings of 247ao with 81 and then took 5-79 as Egerton, (led by 106 from Luke Prescott), came agonisingly close.

Denton West 247ao Egerton 240-8; Clifton 139ao Denton SL 142-7; Prestwich 117ao Woodbank 118-6; Astley & Tyldesley 159ao Edgworth 160-0; Moorside 205-9 Roe Green 206-7; Heyside 254-8 Walshaw 251ao

Champions: Prestwich; Runners-Up: Woodbank; Relegated: Moorside, Walshaw and Astley & Tyldesley

Premier 2: 

Flowery Field visited champions Heaton knowing that a win would secure promotion but also that positive results elsewhere would see them in the Premier Division next year. In the event it was Glossop’s win over Heywood which ensured their elevation as Flowery themselves went down by 24 runs.  Mike Finan, who has featured well for Leicestershire CCC during the week, picked up 3-68 as Heaton ran up an imposing 262-9.  Missing pro Shreevats Goswami it was a tall order for Flowery but a magnificent 121 from Owen Feakes took them to 202-5 but his departure saw them fade away to 228ao.

Glossop certainly did Flowery a favour as they totalled 253-6 against Heywood, thanks to 103 from Chris Gill and consistent contributions from the middle order.  Heywood were never really in the hunt, falling to 96-7, (Will Hargreaves 4-44), and despite some late resistance fell 56 short, leaving Glossop finishing in 6^th place.

At the bottom, an unlikely win for Flixton, (defending 106), against promoted Shaw saw them escape the drop.

Stand 76ao Greenfield 77-3; Glossop 253-6 Heywood 197ao; Glodwick 212ao Bury 135ao; Shaw 65ao Flixton 104ao; Heaton 262-9 Flowery Field 228ao

Champions: Heaton; Promoted: Flowery Field & Shaw; Relegated: Greenfield, Glodwick & Bury

Championship: 

After a desperately poor run a win for Dukinfield 7 days previously left them with a home game against Winton knowing that a win would secure Championship status in 2023.  And they did it in style. Jake Fenton ran through the visitors upper order, (ending with 5-47), and despite the last 2 wickets adding 59 Dukinfield were set 122 for victory. They romped home in 23 overs, losing only 2 wickets and will now be looking for an improvement next year.

Mottram travelled to promotion hunting Friarmere already safe and an end of season display left them with a very moderate 129ao.  It proved to be no problem for the hosts as they won by 7 wickets thereby securing Premier 2 status.

Monton 112-3 Royton 108ao; Friarmere 131-3 Mottram 129ao; Stretford 125-7 Woodhouses 122ao; Elton 255-1 Westleigh 94ao; Dukinfield 124-2 Winton 121ao; Swinton Moorside 192ao Whalley Range 156ao

Champions: Monton; Promoted: Friarmere & Elton; Relegated: Whalley Range; Swinton Moorside & Westleigh

Division 1:  

It was an epic day for Hadfield.  Knowing that a win would take them into the Championship, but aware that the trip to leaders Saddleworth was a tough proposition they stepped up to the mark.  Batting first Tom Wyche, (70*), anchored the innings, batting for 3 hours after coming in after 6 balls.  It was a vital knock, but a total of 171-6 was probably under par on the fast scoring Well-i-Hole ground.  When Saddleworth passed 50 without loss, they were favourites but a great spell from Louis van Zyl not only got Hadfield back in the game but ended the home side’s resistance as they tumbled for 127ao.  It has been a great season for the Newshaw Lane team, and they can now look forward to the Championship next year.  The defeat for Saddleworth cost them the title.

The Hadfield victory came at the expense of Droylsden who also had promotion hopes at the start of the day.  No doubt keeping an eye on scores elsewhere Droylsden would have been more than disappointed to total only 88 against an Oldham side who were relegated some weeks ago. Hashan Gunathila has been an inspired signing for Droylsden.  He finished with 989 runs and 71 wickets, nine of which came in the Oldham reply.  The Pollards team had no answer to him as he ran through them ending with 9-19.  With the points secure all eyes turned to progress at Saddleworth but in the end it was a case of ‘so near, so far’.

Stayley secured safety last Sunday and made the trip to an Uppermill team which needed a win to see off the threat of relegation.  And it went the way of the home team who successfully chased a target of 200. With 8 batsmen reaching double figures for Stayley it was a challenge for the home team, but they responded really well with an opening partnership of 142.  Stayley then responded as 8 wickets fell for 48, (Chris Tipper 4-23), but were unable to break a 9^th wicket partnership.

Uppermill 200-8 Stayley 199ao; SW Manchester 91-7 Golborne 89ao; Thornham 88-1 Austerlands 87ao; Saddleworth 127ao Hadfield 171-6; Droylsden 88ao Oldham 52ao; Roe Green 2^nd XI 130ao Edenfield 132-1

Champions: Edenfield; Promoted: Saddleworth & Hadfield; Relegated: SW Manchester, Roe Green 2^nd XI & Oldham

Division 2A: 

Daisy Hill 52-4 Astley & Tyldesley 2^nd XI 50ao; Darcy Lever 85ao United Stars 70ao; East Lancs PM 195ao Adlington 108ao; Worsley 153ao Heaton 2^nd XI 158-5; Tottington 223-9 Deane & Derby 98ao; Radcliffe 130-5 Prestwich 2^nd XI 129ao

Champions: Tottington; Relegated: East Lancs PM and Astley & Tyldesley 2^nd XI

Division 2B: 

Denton have looked for several weeks to be on the verge of a drop to regional cricket, but a remarkable renaissance with 3 wins in the last month, (doubling their total for the year), saw them survive. They went into the game at Wythenshawe knowing that even though Oldham had conceded their game a win was still necessary. 2 wickets for Andy Mather and 3 for Andrew Nell put Denton on the front foot and Tome Stenson, (4-37), capped things off as Wythenshawe reached 157ao. Martin Leech led the way in the reply, and batting throughout the innings ended on 74* as Denton got home comfortably and breathed a huge sigh of relief!

Micklehurst picked up 5 points after scheduled opponents Oldham forfeited the game late on Friday night.  It left them in the top half and they will be placed in Division 2 in the new linear structure next year.

Greenfield 2^nd XI 56ao Werneth 268-9; Wythenshawe 157ao Denton 158-3; Milnrow 66-0 Glodwick 2^nd XI 62ao; Littleborough Lakeside 137ao Friarmere 2^nd XI 257ao; Oldham 2^nd XI lost on forfeit to Micklehurst; Denton SL 2^nd XI 214-9 Denton West 2^nd XI 215-4

Champions: Milnrow; Promoted: Werneth Relegated: Oldham 2^nd XI & Greenfield 2^nd XI

Division 3E: 

Ashton’s perfect season ended with their 22^nd win from 22 games as they overcame Mottram by 102 runs. The highlight of the Ashton total of 234-7 was from Richard Taylor.  He got 85, (the 7^th time he has passed 50, 4 of which went on to the century mark), and in doing so reached 1,000 runs in 19 innings.  It has been a remarkable performance. Sam Fitton, (4-37), featured well for Mottram who despite a flying start in reply fell away to 132ao, despite 61* from Sam Fazackerley.  Josh Gee got 5-25, ending his first season in the 1^st XI with a fine return of 45 wickets.

Ashton Ladysmith had a day to forget at Woodhouses where they were routed for 41 and saw the home side race to a 10-wicket win.

Werneth 2^nd XI 170ao Springhead 250-8; Heywood 2^nd XI 128-8 Glossop 2^nd XI 129-6; Woodhouses 2^nd XI 42-0 Ashton Ladysmith 41ao; Flowery Field 2^nd XI 182-5 Dukinfield 2^nd XI 178ao; Royton 2^nd XI 246ao Heyside 2^nd XI 249-9; Mottram 2^nd XI 132ao Ashton 234-7

Champions: Ashton; Promoted: Heyside 2^nd XI Relegated: Flowery Field 2^nd XI

Division 4E: 

Springhead 2^nd XI 204-8 Shaw 2^nd XI 207-6; Stayley 2^nd XI 202-8 Droylsden 2^nd XI 76ao; Austerlands 2^nd XI 179ao Failsworth Macedonia 297-4; Denton 2^nd XI 102ao Milnrow 2^nd XI 103-3; Ashton 2^nd XI 153-9 Moorside 2^nd XI 226-8; Hadfield 2^nd XI 183-5 Newton Heath 182ao