Round-up: Rain affects Greater Manchester Cricket League action

After a rain-affected weekend across the Greater Manchester Cricket League, we round up the action that did take place and take a look at the next round of fixtures. 

A truly dismal weekend, weather wise, saw play start in only 11 of the 65 games scheduled, with only five of those reaching a conclusion, as rain swept in during the early evening.

The only real action was in Division 2B, where two of the six games finished. The impact on the promotion and relegation issues was minimal given the number of abandoned games, but with only five weekends left there is still much to play for.

Hopefully there is a better outlook for the weekend coming, with a series of key matches scheduled, plus the 1st XI Championship Cup Final where is local interest. Dukinfield, one of the few clubs to end up with winning points this last weekend, will face Shaw, with the game being held at Mottram.

Premier 1:

It’s as you were, with all games abandoned. Play was possible at Denton SL in the battle between the top two, where Prestwich were the visitors. The game started late as a 24 overs a side contest. Prestwich struggled and made only 125-7, with pro Neil Hornbuckle featuring with the ball, taking 4-25. The DSL reply lasted only 6 overs, in which they reached 41, before rain intervened. Elsewhere Glodwick continued their fine recent form and posted 203-6, with Flixton standing at 20-2 when the abandonment came. With five weekends left the top four are now separated by only 6 points, and a close finish to the title race is certain.

Roe Green A-A Greenfield; Clifton A-A Egerton; Astley & Tyldesley A-A Heyside; Woodbank A-A Heyside; Denton SL 41-1 Prestwich 125-7 (Aban); Flixton 20-2 Glodwick 203-6 (Aban)

Premier 2:

Only one game started and it finished with Woodhouses standing in mid table after beating Heywood. At the top Denton West now stand just a single win away from a return to the top Division, and also know that a further win will give them the title. Vying for the other two promotion places are Edgworth, Bury, Bradshaw and Walshaw, whilst at the bottom Monton and Royton looked doomed to the drop.

Walshaw A-A Monton; Royton A-A Bradshaw; Bury A-A Glossop; Stand A-A Denton West; Edgworth A-A Flowery Field; Woodhouses 154ao Heywood 97-9; Sunday: Heywood A-A Glossop

Championship:

Play was possible at Whalley Range but fell victim to the rain shortly after Edenfield had begun their chase of 129 to win. Brooksbottom, Shaw and Heaton lead the way but a tight finish looks in prospect with 3 teams only a handful of points behind. Uppermill and Edenfield look set for the drop, but the third relegation place looks as though it is between

Stayley, Whalley Range and Friarmere. A rearranged game this coming Sunday when Stayley travel to Friarmere could have an important bearing on the final outcome.

Stayley A-A Winton; Swinton Moorside A-A Uppermill; Friarmere A-A Elton; Whalley Range 128-7 Edenfield 24-2 (Aban); Westleigh A-A Shaw; Brooksbottom A-A Heaton; Sunday: Uppermill A-A Elton;

Division 1:

The real winners on the day were Dukinfield, who defeated visiting Droylsden. The 5 points they achieved left them only 3 adrift of leaders Mottram who failed to start when they visited Adlington. Droylsden batted first and Matt Halliday, (who helped himself to a century a fortnight ago), led the way with 58, but there was little help elsewhere as the visitors reached only 104-7 in their 36 overs. Joel Morton picked up 3-11 for Dukinfield. The DLS calculation set Dukinfield 96 for victory and Mohammed Aslam with 50 took them home. Dukinfield have had a great spell over the last two months and their form will give them heart when they face Shaw in the 1st XI Championship Cup Final at Mottram this coming Sunday.

Elsewhere Hadfield looked well placed for another win when the rains arrived. Visitors Golborne had posted 219-6, (Liam Doyle 3-34). Hadfield had reached 79-2 with another 141 required off 18 overs when the abandonment came.

Prestwich 2nd XI A-A Stretford; Hadfield SA 79-2 Golborne 219-6 (Aban); Thornham A-A SW Manchester; Oldham A-A Mottram; Adlington A-A Milnrow; Austerlands A-A Denton; Dukinfield 96-5 beat Droylsden 104-7

Division 2A:

Worsley v Roe Green 2nd XI; Irlam v Stand 2nd XI; Tottington SJ v Deane & Derby; East Lancs PM v Daisy Hill; Elton 2nd XI v Hindley SP (All games abandoned – no play)

Division 2B:

Leaders Saddleworth took advantage when they made short work of Wythenshawe in a game which started late, but ended before the weather intervened. Chasing 59 to win they went to a 7 wicket win in 12 overs.

Ashton must have feared the worst as they fell to 46-6 shortly after a rain interruption which had reduced the game to 30 overs a side. With 13 overs left James Edmondson took the attack to Denton SL and blazed 67 leaving the Rayner Lane side on 160-9. He added 98 in partnership with Anthony Cameron-Summers in 9 overs. DSL made a decent start and the game looked well balanced after 7 overs when they stood at 33-0. At that point rain arrived and the game was abandoned.

Elsewhere, there was a win for Denton West 2nd XI who beat Springhead chasing a DLS target of 101 while the game at Glossop, where Littleborough Lakeside were the visitors, almost reached a conclusion before the elements had the final say.

Glossop 2nd XI 99-4 Littleborough Lakeside 94-7 (aban); Werneth A-A Micklehurst; Glodwick 2nd XI A-A Whalley Range; Wythenshawe 58ao Saddleworth 61-3; Ashton 160-9 Denton SL 2nd XI 33-0 (aban); Denton West 2nd XI 101-3 beat Springhead 144ao

Division 3E:

Greenfield 2nd XI A-A Werneth 2nd XI; Heywood 2nd XI A-A Oldham 2nd XI; Flowery Field 2nd XI 85-3 Hadfield SA 2nd XI 151-8 (aban); Friends United A-A Newton Heath; Moorside A-A Newton Heath; Moorside 2nd XI A-A Friarmere 2nd XI; Mottram 2nd XI A-A Dukinfield 2nd XI

Division 4E:

Woodhouses 2nd XI cemented top spot with a victory over Springhead in the only game which saw a ball bowled.

Droylsden 2nd XI A-A Stayley 2nd XI; Denton 2nd XI A-A Ashton 2nd XI; Springhead 2nd XI 92-3 Woodhouses 2nd XI 95-2; Blackley A-A Failsworth Macedonia; Saddleworth 2nd XI A-A Ashton Ladysmith

This week's fixtures

Premier 1: Moorside v Astley & Tyldesley; Heyside v Clifton; Egerton v Roe Green; Greenfield v Flixton; Glodwick v Denton SL; Prestwich v Woodbank; Sunday: Egerton v Prestwich

Premier 2: Denton West v Bury; Glossop v Royton; Bradshaw v Walsahaw; Monton v Woodhouses; Heywood v Edgworth; Flowery Field v Stand; Sunday; Monton v Edgworth

Championship: Edenfield v Friarmere; Elton v Swinton Moorside; Uppermillv Stayley; Winton v Brooksbottom; Heaton v Westleigh; Shaw v Whalley Range; Sunday: Friarmere v Stayley

Division 1: Droylsden v Hadfield SA; SW Manchester v Prestwich 2nd XI; Denton v Dukinfield; Milnrow v Oldham; Stretford v Austerlands; Golborne v Thirnham; Mottram v Adlington

Division 2A: Daisy Hill v Tottington SJ; Deane & Derby v Irlam; Stand 2nd XI v Worsley; Roe Green 2nd XI v Elton 2nd XI; Hindley SP v Radcliffe

Division 2B: Denton SL 2nd XI v Wythenshawe; Saddleworth v Glodwick 2nd XI; Whalley Range 2nd XI v Werneth; Micklehurst v Glossop 2nd XI; Littleborough Lakeside v Denton West 2nd XI; Springhead v Ashton

Division 3E: Newton Heath v Flowery Field 2nd XI; Hadfield SA 2nd XI v Heywood 2nd XI; Oldham 2nd XI v Greenfield 2nd XI; Werneth 2nd XI v Mottram 2nd XI; Dukinfield 2nd XI v Moorside 2nd XI; Friarmere 2nd XI v Friends United

Division 4E: Woodhouses 2nd XI v Denton 2nd XI; Ashton 2nd XI v Droylsden 2nd XI; Stayley 2nd XI v Saddleworth 2nd XI; Ashton Ladysmith v Blackley; Austerlands 2nd XI v Failsworth Macedonia; Sunday: Ashton 2nd XI v Woodhouses 2nd XI

Sunday:

1st XI Championship Cup Final: Dukinfield v Shaw (at Mottram)

2nd XI Premiership Cup Final: Roe Green v Denton West (at Roe Green)

1st XI John Barrow Cup Final: Saddleworth v Daisy Hill (at Milnrow)

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