Weekend Review: Greater Manchester Cricket League

The weather hit the GMCL programme on Saturday, with only 14 of the scheduled 34 games seeing any play. 

The Tameside area escaped much of the ravages of the rain, with only the Hadfield v Mottram derby being abandoned. Locally there were impressive wins for Denton and Denton West, over Glossop and Flowery Field respectively, and Dukinfield easily overcame Ashton in the first competitive game between the two clubs for many years.  Micklehurst lost their 100 per cent record going down by a single run to Oldham in a game determined by a DLS calculation after early evening rain brought proceedings to a close at the Pollards.  Moorside made it five wins out of five as Royton failed to challenge the target.

Division A:

Undoubtedly the star of the day was Liam Kilburn of Denton West.  Coming in at 74-2 against Flowery Field, he smashed the hosts attack all round the ground, and in a sensational knock finished unbeaten on 122, (including six boundaries and 13 maximums), from only 49 balls.  In partnership with Aaqib Uppal, (52*), they added 149 in under 12 overs, with Wests finishing on 223-2 in a game limited to 34 overs a side after a delayed start.  A shell-shocked Flowery side got off to the worst possible start to their reply when Mike Finan fell to Jordan Williams in the first over.  Williams went on to pick up 5-18 as Flowery fell for 58 inside 14 overs.  Only Kieran Lawton, (40), provided any resistance and Uppal made it a great all-round day as he finished with 3-22.  The win made it two in a row for Denton West, and it must have been a real disappointment for Flowery after their fine win at Denton SL seven days previously.

If Kilburn took the plaudits with the bat then Usman Malik’s all-round performance for Denton was equally praiseworthy in the Egerton Street team’s win at Glossop.  He took 3-30 as Glossop reached 144-9 in a game limited by weather to 28 overs. Six Glossop batsmen reached double figures, but no-one managed to push on for a big score.  In the reply it was Malik, (87), and Keegan Taylor, (30*), with a partnership of 105, who provided the basis for the win by eight wickets.  Taylor had a good all-round day as well, having also taken three wickets.  It was Denton’s third win, whilst Glossop have still to get off the mark.

Results:  Woodhouses v Denton SL (Cancelled); Flowery Field 58ao Denton West 223-2; Glossop 144-9 Denton 148-2

Division B:

Dukinfield visited Ashton and won at a canter.  The home side got off to a steady start reaching 33 without loss, but as has been the case so often in recent years, the first wicket led to a procession.  They added only 48 more as Glynn Middleton and Joel Morton picked up three wickets each.  After an early wicket in the reply Ajmal Ghafoor (43) took charge as leaving Dukinfield to make the short trip back as victors by 7 wickets.  It was their 2^nd win of the season.

At the Coppice home side Werneth set Droylsden 177 for the win, in a game restricted to 32 overs a side. An unbeaten 65 from Chris Thickett was the basis of the Werneth total.  The Droylsden reply got off to a stuttering start as they fell to 11-3.  They managed to get to 74-7 before rain intervened late on and the game was concluded at that point leaving Werneth the victors under a DLS calculation.  Droylsden remain winless this season, whilst Werneth got winning points for the second time.

Results: Hadfield A-A Mottram; Werneth 176-6 (won on DLS) Droylsden 74-7; Ashton 81ao Dukinfield 84-3

Division C:

At Well -i- Hole Saddleworth came out on top against Springhead and made it three wins from four games.  Springhead batted first in a game curtailed to 25 overs a side and struggled to 117-8.  Three wickets each for J Holt and Steve Howard were the key.  Saddleworth took their time in the reply, with the foundation being laid by an opening partnership of 83 between Sam Holt, (53), and Asad Ali, (42).  The five-wicket win was achieved with two overs remaining.

Micklehurst went down for the first time this season, after rain brought an early end to their game at Oldham.  The match was very interestingly poised when the elements intervened. A late start saw the game limited to 32 overs a side, and Micklehurst toiled to 125-8, thanks to 63 from Rizwan Hussain.  Sajid Ali picked up 5-58 for the Pollards team.  In their reply they reached 41 without loss, but then the loss of six wickets for a further 41, put Micklehurst right back in the game with Oldham needing 43 with 6 wickets and eight overs left.  They added a further 22, needing 21 with five overs left when the rain arrived, and the home side won by just a single run on a DLS calculation.

Results:  Uppermill A-A Austerlands; Oldham 104-6 (won on DLS) Micklehurst 125-8; Saddleworth 118-5 Springhead 117-8

Division D:

Moorside remain top of the table, with a 100% record, after a 71 run, DLS calculated win over struggling Royton.  Jack Gartside got 40 at the top of the order for Moorside, but the innings was given impetus with a fifth wicket partnership of 86 in 10 overs between Richard Harrington, (54*) and Daniel Anchor, (44).  It left them with a total of 213-5, a challenge for a Royton team whose previous best total this year was 125. It was a slow start for the Paddock team as they took 15 overs to reach the 30 mark, and thereafter, needing over 180 in 20 overs it was a case of some batting practice for Liam Brown, (58) and Paul Horton.

Results: Glodwick A-A Heyside; Royton 136-3 Moorside 213-5; Shaw A-A Greenfield

Division E:

Results:  Littleborough Lakeside A-A Milnrow; Thornham A-A Friarmere; Clifton 2^nd XI 145-6 Prestwich 2^nd XI 148-5

Division F:

Results:  United Stars A-A East Lancs PM; Daisy Hill A-A  Bolton Indians  ;  Deane & Derby A-A Radcliffe

Division G:

Results: Swinton Moorside 231-5 Westleigh 178ao; Monton 69-8 Winton 68ao; Stretford v Whalley Range (Cancelled)

Division H:

Results:  Wythenshawe 146-7 Irlam 145-8; Roe Green 2^nd XI v SW Manchester N/A; Worsley 159-8 Hindley St Peters 158-9

Division J:

Results:  Prestwich 194-5 Roe Green 155-8; Stand A-A Astley & Tyldesley; (Clifton – bye)

Division K: 

Results; Woodbank A-A Greenmount; Edgworth A-A Egerton; Bradshaw A-A Walshaw

Division L:

Results; Tottington A-A Edenfield; Bury A-A Heywood; (Brooksbottom - bye)

Division M:

Results:  Friends United A-A Ashton Ladysmith; Blackley v Friends Sporting (Cancelled); Newton Heath A-A Failsworth Macedonia

FIFTEEN OVER COMPETITION – LATEST LOCAL RESULTS

In Division D there was a high scoring, close game on Friday at Mottram where Denton were the visitors.  Half centuries for Oliver Andrews and Jordan Irons took Mottram to 172-5 as they scored at over 11 an over.  It was a huge task for Denton, especially after they lost Callum Clayton to the first ball of their reply.  A tremendous partnership of 135 in 11 overs put Denton in the driving seat, but Alice Dyson, making her first team debut, shone with two wickets as Mottram got home by 10 runs. In Division F Moorside made it 5 wins out of 5 with a win at Heywood.  Oldham and Werneth both have 3 wins from 4 games in Division H.

Results: Glossop 53-5 (won on DLS) Dukinfield 65-6; Hadfield 126-3 Denton SL 115-4 (won on DLS); Mottram 172-5 Denton 162-3; Shaw 107-2 Heywood 106-7; Moorside 110-6 Heyside 95ao; Heyside 83-2 Thornham 82-9; Royton 82-6 Milnrow 91-7; Heywood 101-5 Moorside 104-6; Micklehurst A-A Greenfield; Springhead 101-9 Austerlands 109-2; Littleborough Lakeside 94-9 Oldham 95-4; Oldham 65-3 United Stars 104-4 (A) ; Werneth 80-1 Friarmere 77-8; Oldham West 67ao Littleborough Lakeside 68-2

Subject to the weather, here are this weekend's fixtures:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Main picture by John Parkins

Other images by Nigel Wood