JUNE 2011

28^th - All Hallows Cricket is developing nicely with the help of Clifton CC. Chris Tye writes:

Three years ago All Hallows School played no cricket and with a lack of facilities in the area pupils did not have any experience of the game. After establishing a link with Clifton, Lancashire were able to coach at the school through the 'Chance to Shine' initiative and a culture of cricket emerged� at the school. Since then All Hallows has been able to put out a number of different teams who play their home matches at Clifton. Recently the school have started to experience success on the pitch with good results against Walkden High School, St Ambrose Barlow and Swinton Moorside.� Well done to all at All Hallows and once again this confirms Clifton CC's determination to help local children and children from the surrounding areas to experience cricket.

26^th - Danny Hill fell agonisingly short of the full house of cricket when came up one short of grabbing all ten wickets against Radcliffe,

The �villain� was Rob Meredith who took the eighth wicket and prevented DH from taking the first maximum since Graham Robins at Roe Green many years ago. Radcliffe had simply no answer to the six and a half footer�s devastating spell which left the home side bruised, battered and 45 all out. The seventh straight league win was then achieved, again with a slight batting stutter, by seven wickets.

The seconds took centre stage on Saturday as the firsts were washed out at Crompton.

As usual, the bowling attack was more than adequate, but the batting frailties looked like being the side�s undoing yet again as, having reduced the visitors to 113 all out, with Rob Meredith taking 4-30 they collapsed to 23-3 and then 39-4. However, James Evans (36 not out) and Viralsingh Jetavet (34 not out) put together a match winning unbroken stand of 77 with �VJ� finishing it in the best possible way with a six.

Rob and Danny Hill had the early order struggling as wickets fell at regular intervals and only a couple of decent partnerships for the 3^rd and 7^th wickets took Crompton past three figures, but it all looked to have been in vain as Ian Davidson, Stephen Birch and Sam Cullen were gone in no time. Mike Hay hung around for a while but seemed to let the fielding side�s banter get to him as he played a couple of loose shots before falling to a decent catch at gully. However, James and VJ stepped up to the mark in a way that hasn�t happened in the seconds for a while, despite five successive league wins which have relied heavily on the talents of the bowling attack.

The firsts completed a very bad day at the office for Radcliffe with a comprehensive nine wicket win at Manchester Road. First to make hay in the sunshine was Magic Mo Akhtar who emerged from a barren spell since the Leyland game to take 6-28 after Hendro and Greg had chipped out the top order. Then Andy Griff emerged from his own lean spell by smashing 88no out of the 138 needed for victory. With Liam Dorsey not only absent suffering with gastro-enteritis, but also, being a good family man, sharing it with the rest of the household, another one emerging from a different sort of lean spell after injury was Dean Morris. He took over behind the stumps and emerged with six victims and a performance which raised a few eyebrows.

A youthful looking third XI had a day to forget at soggy Elton Vale. Sam Brown�s 21 runs and Tom Hubber�s excellent boundary catch were the only high spots of an eight wicket manhandling on a ground which, despite the thirty degree heat, had failed to recover from the week�s deluge.

Pic: A big top edge ends Sam�s innings

20^th - Milnrow third XI have applied to join the North Manchester League for season 2012. All three of the lower divisions currently have ten sides and the first division 12, so it would mean an odd number somewhere if elected as there have been no other applications so far. However, to turn down the chance to play in such a fine setting would be a sad day for the NMCL. Milnrow currently top the CLL third division, but only six clubs compete in the league.

19^th - Adam Holt couldn�t have chosen a better time to add a maiden first team century to his c.v. after Littleborough had posted 238-6 in Sunday�s Wood Cup tie.

If there was a moment in the Littleborough innings which brought the game back towards Clifton after the visitor�s looked like posting in excess of 250, it was the millimetric accuracy of Greg Jennings boundary throw which ran out Littleborough professional Clinton Perrin as they bore down on the 200 mark with only one wicket down. Glenn Bullock mixed up the bowling for the remaining overs and Greg chipped in with three wickets to restrict the visitors to a large but manageable total, with the pro chipping in with three catches after his bout of dropsy yesterday. From then on the second innings became something of a carbon copy of the first as Holty (103) and Hendro posted 150 plus before Adam got out and Chris Lord and Bully supported Hendro, who finished with 93 not out, to a memorable last over victory and a semi-final tie against Middleton to look forward to. The excellent umpires awarded the man-of-the-match award to Adam and most of the spectators, who bathed in the sun for most of the day, went home happy after the 479 run spectacle.

Pics:

Adam pushes for his fiftieth run.

Bully gets some beef into screen shifting

Greg chips away

And.. click here for a video clip of Adam�s magic moment

In stark contrast, the seconds were unceremoniously dumped out of the Burton Cup in the reverse fixture at Littleborough. A good bowling performance had restricted the hosts to 128 at tea, but the response was dire as between them, a strong looking batting line up could only amass 40 runs. To be fair to both sides, the wicket was not an issue and neither was loose shot making. The Littleborough attack was just too good on the day.

18th - The firsts became the first team to bowl out the CLL champions and league leaders but then threw away the chance to take the points at Norden on Saturday and make it a dismal weekend for the leaders who were dumped out of the Wood Cup by Royton on Sunday.

Hendro and Mo took four apiece as the home side were restricted to 157 and it could have been better still if two golden chances to catch the Norden pro had been taken. He went on to make a half century before becoming Matt Wright�s only victim, but the skipper would have taken 157 every day against the runaway leaders. However, the batting was a major disappointment as a mixture of good bowling and some ill advised shots, led to a 20 run defeat. Hendro scored his own half century which looked like it could peg back the leaders before falling to a nick which he felt he hadn�t touched, which whipped through to the keeper. The support he was offered was minimal however, though Greg Jennings (pic) looked like he could stick around with Hendro until an LBW decision sent him packing. It was also a bit disappointing for the players to find that they were joined by not one Norden player in the bar for an after-match drink.

The seconds had a different tale to tell though as they bowled out Norden for 107 with Rob Reade picking up the last six wickets for 22 runs after Rob Meredith and Danny Hill had taken out the early order. In response, James Evans (23) and Mike Hay (25) held the innings together to register a four wicket win against the third placed team.

10^th -� With one or two exceptions, it was a strangely lacklustre performance from the firsts in the local derby against Monton & Weaste.

Pic: Clifton�s man-eating leylandaii claims another victim

With a T20 and Wood Cup brace already under their belts and local bragging rights up for grabs, the firsts should have been firing on all cylinders following their sensational disposal of Northern League pacesetters Leyland last week, but with the exception of best-ever performances in the first XI from Matt Wright (6-71) and Adam Holt (77) and a terrific 18 over spell by Greg Jennings, it was not to be. However, the tired looking performance made for a terrifically exciting game for the spectators as, despite asking the visitors to score 14 off the last over with the last two at the wicket and the pro with ball in hand, the match ended in a tie with both sides finishing on 206-9. A word of praise also for the scorers who are heavily scrutinised in such a close game, but who were impeccable from ball one of the game.

Other pics Adam Holt and Matt Wright�s first wicket taking delivery is launched

At Monton, last pair Rob Meredith and Danny Hill also found themselves needing 14 to win but they went one better and succeeded after some more lusty blows from DH. It was another great all round team performance, except with bat in hand, with Ian Davidson taking four wickets and being the pick of a good attack.

The first team progressed to the quarter finals of the T20 on Friday with success over Unsworth. That makes it two wins out of three in the group stages and assures progression to the next stage. Wickets were shared although Greg was again the pick of the bunch, as Unsworth were dismissed for 98. There were a few scares along the way but the opening stand of 41 was decisive.OUT WIN FOR

5^th�� -� The firsts turned Monton & Weaste over on Friday night to set up a busy weekend in the best way possible. It was a team performance from top to bottom with debutant bowlers Rob Reade and Andy Lord rubbing shoulders successfully with the Pro as the hosts were bundled out for 87 after Adam Holt and Chris Lord had set up a total of 143.

The seconds flew the flag on Saturday as both firsts and thirds were undone.

Lancashire�s Royton lad, Luke Proctor ripped the heart out of the batting with 6-32 as the firsts crumbled to 137 all out. The bowling attack made a decent fist of the response but the visitors ran out winners by five wickets. The seconds could only muster 143 but it was enough to stave off Royton�s second string who fell short thanks to a concerted joint bowling attack� which showed no weak links which the home side could exploit. The thirds trip to Fothergill & Harvey was not quite as exciting as last year�s tie, but was a good game nevertheless with a makeshift side amassing 197-7. The home team�s response went this way and that before they finally crossed the line with an over to spare.

On Sunday there were mixed cup fortunes for the firsts and thirds. The firsts set up a fixture congestion nightmare with a conclusive win over Northern League Leyland but the thirds avoided the same problem with yet another single wicket defeat at the hands of Rochdale. The weather tried it�s best to interrupt a fine performance at Leyland where the home side batted first. All the first four looked solid but the bowling gave away very little as each got a start and was then prized out. Mo Akhtar then stepped in to hypnotise the tail and only one of the last six scored double figures as magic Mo took 4-33. There was a minor blip as the Pro went cheaply but skipper Glenn Bullock (46) and Andy Griff (33) and Ian Morris (33no) steered the ship home to a notable victory.

The thirds had an �off� day as often happens against Rochdale. Having posted 152 and taken early wickets, Rochdale put together a match winning partnership thanks to lusty hitting and wayward catching. When the partnership was finally broken, there was panic in the Rochdale dressing room as wickets tumbled, but the damage had been done and they limped over the line by one wicket.

Pics: another one off the CCC production line as Will Davidson makes his 3^rd XI debut and celebrates with his first senior boundary. Jack Barton bowled a good opening spell.