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Wood Cup wonders

24/ 7/2008

WOOD Cup holders Heywood’s love affair with the competition continued at Crimble on Sunday when they won through to their fourth successive final.

Heywood beat Crompton by 50 runs to set up a repeat of the 2005 final against Monton and Weaste, who beat Ashton in a last ball thriller.

The Crimble outfit didn’t have it all their own way and needed an obdurate knock of 46 from captain Bobby Cross to give them a total to bowl at.

It was enough as professional Ruvin Peiris bowled 10 magical overs for a return of four for 32.

Ste Cheetham earlier helped apply the pressure on the home batsmen with one for 13 from eight miserly overs.

Heywood were given a good start by openers Tom Hardman and Ruvin Peiris, who put on 64 before the latter was trapped lbw by Si Wright.

Royce Blight failed to fire and was bowled by Wright, and Peiris was caught and bowled by Kaeven Stoute. Heywood at 87 for three were on the back foot.

Cross and Danny Pawson set about repairing the damage, adding 40 runs before Pawson became Wright’s third victim, trapped leg before for 13.

Ste Wallwork didn’t trouble the scorers and just one run had been added when he was bowled by Khan.

Chris Kaye (2) soon followed leaving the hosts at 128 for six.

But there is something about this trophy which brings out the best in the Heywood players.

Lee Grogan joined Cross in the middle and showed great restraint as he and his skipper shared a stand of 32.

Cross was out with five overs remaining and Cheetham (7) was bowled by Zufiqar.

Grogan (16no) and Rob Slawson (8no), though, put on 17 valuable runs as the innings closed on 187 for eight.

Heywood needed a good start and with 16 on the board Cheetham trapped Crompton’s professional Kaeven Stoute (5) in front.

The visitors struggled to score against tight bowling and struggled to 22 off 12 overs before Peiris saw off Darren Graham, leg before.

And, with the score on 39, Cashin and Si Wright were back in the pavilion, Peiris and Blight doing the damage.

It was downhill all the way for Crompton as they struggled against a versatile and

effective Heywood attack.

There was no hiding place as Rob Slawson stepped up to the mark and claimed two wickets for 33 from 10 overs, and Kaye’s seven overs cost just 22 runs as he too bagged a brace of victims.

Only Crompton’s overseas amateur Javon Searles, who was at Heywood last season, put up any resistance with a stoical 44, but he was unable to find any support.

The visitors last four wickets fell for 20 runs and Heywood were home and hosed.