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MORE OF THE SAME ... Heywood captain Bobby Cross will be looking to bring the JW Lees Wood Cup back to Crimble for the fourth successive year
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Heywood set for tough challenge
31/ 7/2008
‘THE sun is shining, the weather is sweet’……..so goes the Bob Marley song, and the weekend before the JW Lees Wood Cup Final was certainly sweet for Heywood.
Two victories yielded nine points and sent Heywood back to the top of the CLL – a tremendous fillip in the run up to next week’s encounter with Monton and Weaste.
On Saturday, a poor Werneth side, made to work hard against some tight bowling, crawled to 114-9 in their 50 overs.
Steven Cheetham and Chris Kaye were the pick of the bowlers with three wickets apiece. Heywood will have been disappointed not to have picked up a five-point maximum, particularly as four catches were spilled during the Werneth innings, in which only overseas amateur, Nathan Griffin made any impact with a patient 34.
Facing only a modest total, openers, Tom Hardman and Ruvin Peiris were separated when Hardman was caught behind early on.
Bobby Cross took the opportunity to let some of the lower order spend some time at the crease. Peiris made a controlled 43, but with four wickets down, there was the slightly unusual sight of seeing some lusty blows from Lee Grogan, supported by Steven Cheetham, getting Heywood across the finishing line with overs to spare.
On Sunday, Walsden were expected to provide a sterner test, and batting first, Mark Hooson and Matt Thompson threatened to post a large total.
But another fine spell of bowling from Steven Cheetham, taking 6-54, ripped the heart out of the Walsden innings, as they closed on 191 all out.
On the day, this was probably 50 to 60 runs short of a competitive total, but another spate of dropped catches prevented Walsden’s score from being reduced further.
When Heywood replied, Hardman was the first to fall, but after Peiris departed for 23, Bobby Cross joined Royce Blight as the pair produced a match-winning partnership. Sadly Cross fell four short of what would have been a well-deserved half century, but there were not quite enough runs left to allow Blight to reach a century, as he ended the match with a six, finishing on 86 not out!
The second team had a comfortable victory against a nine-man Werneth side on Saturday, but despite 40 runs and three wickets from Andrew and Simon Dawson, they slipped to a six-wicket defeat against Walsden on Sunday.
On Saturday, on the eve of the Wood Cup Final, Clifton are the visitors to Crimble. Much will depend on the performance of their professional Adil Nisar, a prolific run scorer in the Bolton League, and fresh from a 200-run tally last weekend.
Sunday brings Heywood’s sixth successive appearance in the JW Lees Wood Cup final at Werneth, in a re-run of the 2005 match with Monton and Weaste.
That match was a one-sided affair as Monton and Weaste seemed to freeze on the day, but having been active in the transfer market merry-go-round, they have put together a well balanced squad.
Captained by newly UK naturalised Australian, Trent Scott, boasting two players who were in the professional ranks up until the end of last season in Craig Duxbury and Gourav Sharma, and with former Heywood man Andy Taylor sure to be up for the contest, it promises to be a fiercely fought final.
With another new signing from Denton St Lawrence, Lee Dale, also in the runs, and all rounder Nav Din always a threat with both bat and ball, Heywood will have their work cut out to make it four consecutive victories.
However, Heywood should not be overawed, given their massive experience of the competition. Chris Kaye and Rob Slawson have appeared in each of the last five finals, and Bobby Cross will be captaining his team in a final for the fourth time.
The return of Royce Blight has added depth to the batting, Jon Storey has strengthened the seam attack, and with Tom Hardman, at 17, playing in his third Wood Cup final, making vital contributions with the bat and ball, Heywood have the breadth and depth of talent to hang on to what has become ‘their trophy’
More than 100 fans have signed up to travel on club coaches leaving for Werneth from the ground at noon on Sunday. Some spaces are still available, but you will need to book and pay for your place at the clubhouse in advance. Players will be leaving Crimble at 11.30am, and fans can see them off and have a bacon barm at the club from 10.30am onwards.
Here’s hoping everybody has a wonderful day, with, hopefully the right result, but please would all fans remember that the Wood Cup Final is a family occasion, and that the highest standards of behaviour should be observed. Unfortunately, incidents at previous finals have resulted in the club incurring additional costs which can be ill-afforded, and do not help the club’s reputation in the cricketing and local community.
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I just wish the Advertiser would publish the league tables on here, as well as the stories...
1/08/2008 at 14:04