Final thriller!

Photo: Tim Bradley

PUSHING TO THE OFFSIDE . . . Oldham opening batsman Junaid Khan.

IT was a second XI final in name - but it was a first-rate game of cricket.

Oldham lifted the JW Lees Brewery Pennine Cricket League's Moore Cup after a thrilling six-run success over Heyside at Little Hey Street.

The contest swung one way and then the other and back again, before The Pollards outfit emerged victorious in the very last over.

There were outstanding individual displays aplenty for the good-sized crowd to enjoy.

For Oldham, Mubasher Khan was named man-of-the-match for a much-needed 51 batting at No.8 and figures of three for 31 - he removed openers Chris McDonnell and Jon Selby - Sikandar Shah scored a brutal 45 and joint captain Fiaz Khan bagged four for 39.

For Heyside, Alfie Clarke and Brad Flint, with three for 31 and two for 17, applied the brakes when Oldham's batsmen appeared to be running away with the game, Mark Ingham picked up three wickets at the death to deprive the visitors of their full quota of 45 overs - and then there was James Lord.

With young Leo Matthews offering terrific support at the other end, Lord got within six runs of completing a brilliant century and orchestrating a fightback few would have predicted with Heyside toiling at 38 for four.

Oldham, reprieved after semi-final conquerors Saddleworth were thrown out of the competition for playing an ineligible player, made a rapid start after being asked to bat first.

Fifty runs were on the board after four overs and 106 for the loss of two wickets after 15 as Shah (45) and Junaid Khan (35) sent the ball scurrying to several parts of the ground.

The introduction of Clarke and Flint stemmed the flow of runs and with eight of their 45 overs remaining, Oldham were pegged back to 177 for seven.

Ingham found the thick outside edge of joint captain Kashif Khan for 22 - a devastating performer on his day.

The spinner also snaffled Mubasher Khan, but not after the all-rounder had seen his way to a bright 51.

BELOW-PAR

Oldham's total of 205 looked below-par, but it seemed more than enough after Heyside were reduced to 12 for three.

McDonnell was bowled not playing a shot, skipper Mark Barnes was run out trying for a second - those two wickets fell in the first over - and Selby was adjudged leg before.

When Ingham departed, it looked all over for Heyside.

Teenager Matthews, who eventually went for 22, and Lord had other ideas and guided the score beyond 100 with some controlled shot-making. There were no big heave-hoes, it was proper stuff.

Lee Watkinson, with 28, took up the mantle after Matthews' departure at which stage Heyside were favourites.

However, after Lord's agonising dismissal to that man Mubasher Khan with the score on 172, Oldham were back in the game.

Fiaz Khan, bowling from the Bullcote Green end, then got in the act.

Two wickets in two balls left Oldham on the brink, but umpire David Lees thwarted the hat-trick attempt after turning down a huge appeal for lbw, leaving Fiaz Khan on his knees.

He was on his knees again five minutes later, this time in celebration, after bowling Clarke. Victory was Oldham's - and the game of cricket.

Scores -

Moore Cup final: Oldham 205 (Mu Khan 51, S Shah 45, M Ingham 3-15, A Clarke 3-31), Heyside 199 (J Lord 94, F Khan 4-39, Mu Khan 3-20).