Crompton ease into LCB Cup second round

PROGRESS . . . Simon Wright

CROMPTON can look forward to a second-round tie in this season's LCB Cup competition, writes KEVIN RICHARDSON.

Simon Wright's men, who are going well in the Pennine Cricket League Premiership, defeated Penwortham.

After restricting the hosts to 150 for eight, Crompton reached the winning line with four wickets to spare.

CHAMPIONS

The PCL will have at least one representative in round three.

Reigning Premiership champions Walsden will go head to head with Norden at Scott Street on Sunday, June 11.

While Walsden recorded an emphatic nine-wicket win at Barrow - Josh Gale took five for 38 and scored an unbeaten 93 - Norden had to dig deep to defeat Netherfield by two wickets.

Ashley Gowers was the mainstay of the reply with an unbeaten 63.

Littleborough are also through, after a masterclass of batting from professional Ryan Burl. He made 132 not out from 120 balls, out of 269 for five.

Opponents Fleetwood were restricted to 190 for nine.

Rochdale made it five PCL clubs into the next stage after an eight-wicket victory over Walkden. Dale Highton and Josh Avery, with four for 16 and 50 not out, were the Redbrook club's star performers.

Struggling in the Premiership, Saddleworth hit a new low as they crashed to 22 all out against Prestwich, who coasted home by 10 wickets.

Glodwick succumbed to 67 all out, in reply to Farnworth Social Circle's 236. Mark Whitehead claimed five for 40 for the Warren Lane men.

And Greenfield, after dismissing Haslingden for 172, could only muster 98 when it was their turn to bat.

Scores -

Littleborough 269-5 (R Burl 132 n.o, C Perren 46, M Hernon 38), Fleetwood 190-9 (D Bell 87, J Barnes 4-22); Farnworth Social Circle 236 (J Scicluna 69, R Ayres 48, M Whitehead 5-40), Glodwick 67 (Jay Chhana 4-10); Walkden 88 (D Highton 4-16), Rochdale 92-2 (J Avery 50 n.o); Penwortham 150-8, Crompton 151-6; Haslingden 172 (J Caudwell 4-27), Greenfield 98 (G Knowles 4-9); Barrow 138 (A Keverne-Onyon 42, Josh Gale 5-38), Walsden 143-1 (Josh Gale 93 n.o); Netherfield 164-9, Norden 166-8 (A Gowers 63 n.o); Saddleworth 22 (R Stanbury 5-17, T Scott 5-4), Prestwich 23-0.

Second-round draw - ties to be played June 11 - is

Chorley v Burnley; Horwich RMI v Vertex; Egerton v Todmorden; Lytham v LITTLEBOROUGH; Clitheroe v Whalley; Longridge v Nelson; Farnworth Social Circle v Lowerhouse; ROCHDALE v Westhoughton; Ramsbottom v CROMPTON; Denton West v Bootle; Leyland v Lostock; Church and Oswaldtwistle v Read; Leigh v Haslingden; Ormskirk v Vernon Carus; WALSDEN v NORDEN; Blackpool v Prestwich.