Weekend Review: Greater Manchester Cricket League

The Greater Manchester Cricket League kicked off last weekend and there were some impressive displays from our local sides.

Premier:

2019 Champions, Denton St Lawrence, put an early marker down in their defence of the title. There were some familiar names leading from the front. Batting first at Astley & Tyldesley, Scott Kirwin came in at 14-1, and batting for the majority of the innings struck the first century of the season, finishing with 119.  Kirwin scored nearly 900 runs two years ago, and this start suggest he will again be a vital part of the DSL campaign.  There were half centuries for both pro Neil Hornbuckle, (57), and Matt Sonczak, (70) as the Saints piled up an imposing 314-7.  It proved far too many for the hosts, who fell 133 short, with four wicket hauls for both Hornbuckle and Ben Tighe. Elsewhere there was an impressive win for Heyside who were also amongst the runs.

Greenfield 122ao Egerton 169ao; Heyside 328-5 Glodwick 231ao; Moorside 163ao Prestwich 225-7; Astley & Tyldesley 181a0 Denton SL 314-7; Clifton 210-4 Flixton 209ao; Woodbank 233-9 Roe Green 235-4

Premier 2:

At North Road Glossop would have been hopeful of winning points after reaching 254-6, (David Wilde 75). Capturing three early Heywood wickets in the reply those hopes would have been raised even further.  However, a consistent display through the Heywood order put them within reach, and the final over came with nine required and four wickets in hand.  A wicket with the first ball put Glossop in the driving seat, but it wasn’t to be with the Crimble side getting home off the penultimate ball.

In the Tameside derby at Windsor Park, Denton West set visitors Flowery Field a target of slightly more than five runs per over, after totalling 253.  Newcomer Callum Flynn, (from the Bradford League), showed his pedigree with 83.  Keegan Taylor ended up with 5-67 for Flowery.  The visitors reply never really got going, and there was little support for Owen Feakes, (who has returned to Throstle Bank Street after a spell at Greenmount).  His 54 was the major contribution as Flowery went down by 101 runs, being dismissed for 152.  

Monton 47ao Bradshaw 290-5; Glossop 254-6 Heywood 257-7; Denton West 253ao Flowery Field 152ao; Bury 165-6 Edgworth 169-4; Royton 118ao Woodhouses 119-1; Stand 100ao Walshaw 162ao

Championship:

Stayley are the only local club in the Championship, and they started with a trip to Whalley Range.  It proved to be an exciting finish. The hosts totalled 183-8, with Stayley pegging them back after the openers put on 108 inside 25 overs. With 100 required off 20 overs and nine wickets remaining the odds were on the visitors, but three quick wickets turned things round. Jake Fenton, newly arrived from Dukinfield, played a fine innings, finishing with 68, but with wickets falling 50 were needed off eight overs and the last pair at the wicket.  Fenton almost took them home but fell off the first ball of the last over with Stayley six short of the win.

Winton 182ao Uppermill 115ao; Elton 133ao Heaton 134-9; Edenfield 146ao Shaw 147-8; Friarmere 140ao Westleigh 211ao; Swinton Moorside 193ao Brooksbottom 153ao; Whalley Range 183-8 Stayley 178ao

Division 1

It was a great start for both Mottram and Hadfield.  In a low scoring game at Mottram the visitors Thornham managed only 83. Jay Riley, (6-29), starred with the ball for Mottram.  It was a struggle in reply as Mottram fell to 45-6 but Ryan Fitton who has returned after a spell at Greenfield, dug in and his unbeaten 31 gave them the winning points. Hadfield visited Milnrow, and saw the home team reach 191-8, (Bobby Hirst 4-47). At 38-5 in reply, it looked to favour the hosts, but fine innings from Cameron Ball, (who has moved from Glossop), who reached 61, and also from Richard Tranter, (67*), took HSA to a single wicket win.

Denton travelled to Prestwich 2^nd XI and 85 from Shahzaid Mazhar was the key to a very competitive 211. It was a good recovery after they fell to 109-7. The hosts reached 137-2 with plenty of time left but Jamie Walker, with a fine display, took 7-25, as Denton took the honours by 34 runs. Dukinfield faced GMCL newcomers Golborne and would have been hopeful after dismissing the visitors for 132 with the wickets shared around a five-man attack. Dukinfield progressed to a point where 63 were needed with eight wickets remaining, but they fell away adding only another 42, and eventual defeat by 20 runs.  It was a dismal afternoon for Droylsden who managed a very modest 114, (Matt Halliday 51), against Austerlands.  It proved no problem for the visitors as they coasted to a 10 wicket win inside 26 overs.

Droylsden 114ao Austerlands 115-0; Mottram 84-6 Thornham 83ao; SW Manchester 197ao Stretford 259-6; Prestwich 2^nd XI 177-9 v Denton 211ao; Dukinfield 112ao Golborne 132ao; Oldham 119ao Adlington 114ao; Milnrow 191-8 Hadfield 192-9

Division 2A

Roe Green 2^nd XI 112-1 Stand 2^nd XI 111ao; Deane & Derby 216ao Hindley St Peters 138ao; Tottington 116ao Radcliffe 153ao; Irlam 265ao Elton 2^nd XI 69ao; East Lancs PM 62-6 Worsley 61ao

Division 2B

Micklehurst got off to a winning start after dismissing Whalley Range 2^nd XI for 157, (Amir Shahzad 5-44). It proved little problem for the Richmond Hill side as they took only 30 overs to get home.  Tom White, back after a season at Greenfield, top scored with an unbeaten 44. Over at Rayner Lane there was an exciting finish as Ashton pulled defeat from the jaws of victory in their encounter with former CLL foes Werneth. They had defended a moderate 158, (Ahasan Shahzad 48), reasonably well and had reduced Werneth to 124-9. The last wicket pair put up a good fight and with seven balls and one wicket left the Coppice team needed 14.  It took them just five balls to get what had looked an improbable win.

Micklehurst 159-5 Whalley Range 2^nd XI 157ao; Saddleworth 280-9 Littleborough Lakeside58ao; Denton SL 2^ndXI 172-4 Springhead 168ao; Wythenshawe 106ao Denton West 2^nd XI 161-9; Glodwick 2^nd XI 208ao Glossop 2^nd XI 213-7; Ashton 158ao Werneth 160-9

Division 3 East

Werneth 2^nd XI 228-8 Oldham 2^nd XI 233-8; Hadfield 2^nd XI 145ao Dukinfield 2^nd XI 149-3; Newton Heath 187-9 Friarmere 2^nd XI 157ao; Flowery Field 2^nd XI 141ao Moorside 2^nd XI 146ao; Heywood 2^nd XI 137-9 Mottram 2^ndXI 139-8; Friends United 145ao Greenfield 2^nd XI 91ao

Division 4 East

Ashton Ladysmith were chasing 188 for a win at Woodhouses 2^nd XI. Richard Taylor, (59), in his usual hard-hitting style gave them a positive start, as they reached 84 without loss in 10 overs.  Eight wickets then fell for 34, and despite a late innings rally they fell 13 short of the win.

Stayley 2^nd XI 182ao Ashton 2^nd XI 192-8; Woodhouses 2^nd XI 187-9 Ashton Ladysmith 175ao; Springhead 2^nd XI 161-4 Blackley 158ao; Denton 2^nd XI 77ao Saddleworth 2^nd XI 111ao; Austerlands 2^nd XI 288-7 Droylsden 2^nd XI 96ao

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FIXTURES THIS WEEK

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

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

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

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

Division 2A: Roe Green 2^nd XI v Deane & Derby; Stand 2^nd XI v East Lancs PM; Elton 2^nd XI v Worsley; Radcliffe v Irlam; Hindley St Peters v Daisy Hill

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

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

Division 4 East: Stayley 2^nd XI v Woodhouses 2^nd XI; Ashton 2^nd XI v Austerlands 2^nd XI; Saddleworth 2^nd XI v Droylsden 2^nd XI; Denton 2^nd XI v Blackley; Failsworth Macedonia v Springhead 2^nd XI

At the moment ‘casual’ spectators are not allowed to attend matches under Government guidelines. Attendance is limited to members of home clubs.  Please check with Clubs as to the operation of this.