ROUND-UP: The latest Greater Manchester Cricket League action

As in the previous week, several fixtures fell victim to positive Covid-19 tests, but the weather held out to allow the remainder of the programme to take place.

With four rounds of fixtures now having taken place, it is Woodhouses, Mottram, Micklehurst and Moorside who hold the honours locally - each boasting a 100 per cent record.

Still to get off the mark this season are Glossop, Droylsden, Austerlands and Failsworth Macedonia, whilst Royton (who picked up a welcome win at Greenfield) and Denton West picked up their first points. 

Division A

At Egerton Street, Woodhouses had a comfortable seven-wicket win over hosts Denton, who struggled to 130-8. This total was largely due to Wasim Qasim, who remained unbeaten on 61*. Alex Spender and Josh Butler took three wickets each for Woodhouses. Their reply was led by Matty Taylor, whose 62* took them to the win with 16 overs to spare, and in doing so preserved their 100 per cent record. 

At Windsor Park, Denton West dismissed Glossop for 94, with the main damage being done by Aaqib Uppal (5-10). West struggled in their reply, losing three early wickets, falling to 16-3. A recovery took them within 40 of the target but a fighting performance from Glossop saw the regular fall of wickets before West inched over the line for a three-wicket win. It was their first victory of the season, but the defeat still leaves Glossop searching for theirs. 

Denton St Lawrence suffered their first defeat of the season as Flowery Field put up an excellent chase, reaching a target of 210. An opening partnership of 144 between Kabeel Akram (50) and Adam Hawley (63) gave DSL a flying start, but they failed to build on this and added only 66 in the remaining 13 overs. Mike Finan and Alex Dolly both picked up three wickets for Flowery, who replied at a pace but lost wickets in the process. After 18 overs, they were 121-6 and DSL were favourites. Dolly (59) made it a good all-round day, but it was a magnificent unbeaten seventh-wicket partnership of 89 between Nick Eastwood and Adam Johnson which gave the visitors the win. 

Results: Denton 130-8 Woodhouses 133-3; Denton SL 209-7 Flowery Field 210-6; Denton West 98-7 Glossop 94ao 

Division B

Hadfield made it three wins in four games, after dismissing Droylsden for 112. Droylsden collapsed from 77-2, losing eight wickets for 35 as Liam Mooney took 5-34 for Hadfield. Richard Tranter led the way in the reply and finished unbeaten on 49, as Hadfield romped home by eight wickets with 15 overs to spare. 

Mottram crushed Ashton, beating their visitors by 10 wickets and maintained their 100 per cent record. Ashton would have thought they were in the game after totalling 175-9, (Brad Wilshaw-Phillips 55), but their attack had no answer to the Mottram opening partnership of Andrew Metcalfe and Daniel Brightmore, who both finished unbeaten on 85 - in an innings which extended for only 22 overs. 

Results: Mottram 176-0 Ashton 175-9; Hadfield 113-2 Droylsden 112ao; Dukinfield v Werneth (cancelled) 

Division C 

There was a rearranged game in this division at Micklehurst, where Austerlands were the visitors. Their scheduled opposition had been withdrawn after a positive Covid-19 test earlier in the week.

In their encounter two weeks ago, the two teams totalled 71 runs, with Micklehurst coming out on top after dismissing Austerlands for 22 - having totalled only 49 themselves. There was more success with the bat this time round as Austerlands totalled 187-7, (Neil Inkpen 57 & James Holt 53). It provided for a thriller. Jonny Forrester, breaking the 50 mark for the third time this season, got Micklehurst off to a good start in their reply, but they fell to 58-4 before Stuart Chamley came in. He hit 86 off 44 balls, (including nine maximums). He fell with 10 needed. The last pair, Patrick Nedley and Karl Dooley, edged the Richmond Hill side home, and left them at the top of the division with a 100 per cent record. Austerlands remain without a win. 

Oldham tumbled to 83ao at Springhead after Parvez Hussain took 4-14 for the hosts. Asif Hussain pegged back the Springhead reply as he took 4-20, but it was Jamie Dell, (37), who provided the foundation for the Springhead win. 

Results: Micklehurst v Uppermill & Austerlands v Saddleworth, (both cancelled); Springhead 85-5 Oldham 83ao; Micklehurst 191-9 Austerlands 187-7 (re-arranged fixture) 

Division D

Moorside stand top of the table with four wins from their four games. Glodwick started the season well with a couple of wins but were taken to task by the Moorside batting line-up which reached 206-7, (Peter Broadhurst 77). Imran Khan; Jack Gartside and Craig Taylor each picked up three wickets as the Glodwick reply struggled to beat the 100 mark. 

Royton picked up their first win of the season, overcoming Greenfield by seven wickets. The hosts struggled to 124ao, and Royton’s win was founded on the contributions from Paul Horton and Liam Jump. They both took three wickets and then shared an unbeaten fourth-wicket partnership of 68, after Greenfield took a couple of early wickets. 

Heyside were set 177 for the win after Shaw reached 176-9. They had been 101-1 with 18 overs left, before Will Avery and Danny Cashin, each picking up three wickets, pegged them back. In the Heyside reply, with the core at 128-6, the game was in the balance. It was Tom Avery with an unbeaten 39, coming in at number eight, who guided them to the win - their third in four games. 

Results: Greenfield 124ao Royton 125-3; Moorside 206-7 Glodwick 103ao; Heyside 178-6 Shaw 176-9 

Division E

Results: Prestwich 2nd XI 80ao Thornham 83-4; Friarmere 187-7 Littleborough Lakeside 122ao; Milnrow 111-2 Clifton 2nd XI 110ao 

Division F

Results: Radcliffe 152-5 Daisy Hill 154-5; Bolton Indians 188-8 United Stars 157ao; East Lancs PM 150ao Deane & Derby 153-2 

Division G

Results: Whalley Range 171-5 Monton 177-4; Winton 151-9 Swinton Moorside 118ao; Stretford 116ao Westleigh 123-3 

Division H

Results: Hindley St Peters 147-9 Roe Green 2nd XI 146ao; Wythenshawe 118-5 SW Manchester 114ao; Irlam 150-9 Worsley 151-8 

Division J

Results: Roe Green-75-0 Stand 71ao; Clifton 270-6 Prestwich 155ao; (Astley & Tyldesley – bye) 

Division K

Results: Greenmount 123ao Bradshaw 155ao; Walshaw 151-9 Edgworth 155-6; Egerton 141-7 Woodbank 180ao 

Division L

Results: Brooksbottom 86ao Bury 88-2; Heywood 153-4 Tottington 152-5; (Edenfield – bye) 

Division M

Ashton Ladysmith reached 182-9, perhaps not as many as they would have thought after Richard Taylor smashed 97 off 62 balls, (including nine maximums), leaving them on 121-2 with 20 overs left. Blackley pegged them back after that. In the reply Khalil ur-Rehman, (5-34) and Mitesh Patel, (4-25) proved the key for Ladysmith, who eventually won by 17 runs. 

Failsworth Macedonia were never in the hunt after Friends United piled on the runs, ending on 276-6, (including a second wicket partnership of 160 in 21 overs). Only some late resistance from Cory Mcleod and Wes Spurrett enabled them to climb from 68-7 to 145ao. 

Newton Heath tumbled to 109ao and this proved to be little problem for hosts Friends Sporting, despite three wickets for Luke Barrow. 

Results: Ashton Ladysmith 182-9 Blackley 165ao; Friends Sporting 112-5 Newton Heath 109ao; Friends United 276-6 Failsworth Macedonia 145ao 

Fifteen over competition - latest local results 

Denton SL 150-5 Glossop 147-5; Dukinfield 110-6 Mottram 93-7; Shaw 99-8 Moorside 150-5; Thornham 127-6 Shaw 160-2; Heywood 88-1 Royton 87-5; Milnrow 75-8 Heyside A 156-7; Glodwick 105-7 Micklehurst 61ao; Greenfield 150-4 Springhead 102-4; Friarmere 132ao Oldham 147-6; Littleborough Lakeside 111-7 Friarmere 110ao; Werneth 111-7 United Stars 112-1; Heyside B 160-6 Oldham West 121ao. 

The next round of GMCL fixtures 

Div A: Woodhouses v Denton SL; Flowery Field v Denton West; Glossop v Denton 

Div B: Hadfield v Mottram; Werneth v Droylsden; Ashton v Dukinfield 

Div C: Uppermill v Austerlands; Oldham v Micklehurst; Saddleworth v Springhead 

Div D: Glodwick v Heyside; Royton v Moorside; Shaw v Greenfield 

Div E: Littleborough Lakeside v Milnrow; Thornham v Friarmere; Clifton 2nd XI v Prestwich 2nd XI 

Div F: United Stars v East Lancs PM; Daisy Hill v Bolton Indians; Deane & Derby v Radcliffe 

Div G: Swinton Moorside v Westleigh; Monton v Winton; Stretford v Whalley Range 

Div H: Wythenshawe v Irlam; Roe Green 2nd XI v SW Manchester; Worlsey v Hindley St Peters 

Div J: Prestwich v Roe Green; Stand v Astley & Tyldesley (Clifton – bye) 

Div K: Woodbank v Greenmount; Edgworth v Egerton; Bradshaw v Walshaw 

Div L: Tottington v Edenfield; Bury v Heywood; (Brooksbottom - bye) 

Div M: Friends United v Ashton Ladysmith; Blackley v Friends Sporting; Newton Heath v Failsworth Macedonia

All games set to take place on Saturday 22 August.

Fixtures correct as of Sunday 16 August.