Sunday best seals Greenfield triumph

REHAN RAFIQ . . . excelled with bat and ball for Glodwick yesterday

GREENFIELD put a dent in Crompton's hopes of landing the JW Lees Brewery Pennine Cricket League Premiership title yesterday.

Chris Gill's side produced one of their best displays of the season to clinch a 17-run victory at Glebe Street.

No.8 Michael Ashworth compiled a vital 36 not out to see Greenfield, winners on Saturday, to a competitive total of 201 for eight from their 50 overs.

Alex Peters added 54 early on in the innings, while a clutch of batsmen made solid-enough starts without inching beyond 30.

Crompton, who began the weekend in fourth place, were reduced to 44 for four.

A fifth-wicket stand of exactly 100 between professional Akbar Rehman (90 not out) and Aqib Zulfiqar (46) put the hosts back on track.

However, the dismissal of Zulfiqar, bowled by Adam Robinson (four for 29), instigated another rush of wickets as Crompton stumbled to 184 all out.

Rehan Rafiq had some game for Glodwick in their crushing 132-run success at home to Littleborough.

The Pakistani professional scored 82 in the hosts' total of 224. Shahid Mahmood weighed in with a typical rapid 59 from 45 balls.

Rafiq then got to work with the ball. The fifth bowler used by captain Nigel Stock, he registered stunning figures of six wickets for seven runs from eight overs as Littleborough crashed to 92 all out.

On a tricky wicket at Thorpe Lane, hosts Austerlands were dismissed for 133 in 37 overs by Monton and Weaste.

Furqan Shafiq had a fine afternoon for the visitors, taking five for 18 and scoring 62.

After losing to basement boys Saddleworth 24 hours earlier - see other story - Rochdale recovered by overcoming Stayley (158 for seven) by three wickets at Millbrook.

Henry Cooper and Ben Chapman, with 66 and 49 respectively, were to the fore in the run chase.

It was a case of after the Lord Mayor's Show for Saddleworth as they lost by three wickets at home to Heyside.

Brian Lord made 59 in the hosts' total of 168 for nine.

Heyside reached their target with five overs to spare. Max Power hit an unbeaten 49 - another notable knock after a half-century on Saturday - and late-order batsmen Matthew Chadwick and Scott Bloor struck 27 and 20 not out respectively.

Walsden are the new leaders after defeating Norden, who started the day on top, by five wickets.

Scores -

Sunday, Premiership: Austerlands 133 (F Shafiq 5-18), Monton and Weaste 135-2 (F Shafiq 62); Greenfield 201-8 (A Peters 54), Crompton 184 (A Rehman 90 n.o, A Zulfiqar 46, A Robinson 4-29); Glodwick 224 (R Rafiq 82, S Mahmood 59), Littleborough 92 (R Rafiq 6-7); Stayley 158-7, Rochdale 162-7 (H Cooper 66, B Chapman 49); Saddleworth 168-9 (B Lord 59, I Aslam 43, D Cashin 4-53), Heyside 169-7 (M Power 49 n.o); Norden 148 (N Zamurad 62), Walsden 149-5 (U Karunaratne 41, N Barker 40 n.o).