Bitter blow

THAT'S OUT . . . Wicketkeeper James O'Neill is jubilant as Crompton professional Akbar Rehman is bowled

CROMPTON arrived at Towncroft with high hopes of lifting the JW Lees Bitter Wood Cup, but left down and out after a man-of-the-match performance from Henry Cooper steered Rochdale to a 53-run victory.

The young New Zealand professional struck a patient 75 after being at the crease for all but two of his side's 50 overs, before forcing Si Wright's men on to the ropes with figures of three for 22.

Crompton's bowlers did a good job in restricting Rochdale to 177 for eight - only five runs shy of their total in the 'first' rain-affected final - but they were unable to press home their advantage on a wicket of little pace due to a wet couple of weeks.

After losing their top four batsmen for 55 runs, including paid man Akbar Rehman and overseas amateur Denis Louis, the challenge proved beyond Crompton, despite the best efforts of the Wright brothers, Simon and Stephen, and teenager Kain Dean.

Crompton made a great start as Adam Good removed Jack Avery with the first ball of the innings.

In strode Cooper, who crashed the next delivery to the boundary.

CONTROL

The 24-year-old right-hander was harsh on the poor delivery, but unfortunately for Rochdale, they were offered very few of those as Crompton's five-man attack bowled with decent control.

But just as Rochdale had seemingly built a foundation to kick-on, they lost a wicket.

Ben Chapman succumbed to a fired up Aqib Zulifiqar for 13 and Andrew Dawson was on 29 when Carl Taylor found a leading edge and Harry Dean claimed a comfortable catch.

With Rochdale 79 for three, Cooper dropped anchor.

He had added 66 with Michael Harling when Good found a way through the latter's defences for 26.

Cooper's knock, which lasted 149 balls and featured nine fours, ended moments later when he found Louis on the long-on boundary.

Another three wickets fell quickly, before skipper Dale Highton got the scoreboard moving again with a couple of lusty blows.

Highton, a former Crompton player, was happy enough with total after choosing to bat. Simon Wright was probably also satisfied at the task facing his batsmen after tea.

That job became a lot harder when Sam Rigby was dismissed by Mo Bux without a run on the board and John Punchard, one of the heroes of the semi-final victory over Littleborough, got a nick to a Harling offering he perhaps should have left alone.

Twenty for two became 37 for three as Harling's appeal for lbw against Louis was answered by umpire Trevor Bailey's rise of a finger.

The onus was now on Rehman and Simon Wright. The former looked comfortable until dragging on a delivery from right-arm spinner Ollie Makin for a disappointing 12.

The Wright brothers - Simon smashed a Highton full toss for the only six on the day - gave Crompton hope.

But once Makin had knocked over the Glebe Street captain for 26, the writing was on the wall.

Zulfiqar fell to Cooper's first ball and Stephen Wright was held by Highton after making 18 as Crompton slipped to 97 for seven.

Good and Taylor departed in quick succession leaving the 14-year-old Dean twins standing between Rochdale and Wood Cup glory.

Kain played a couple of neat deflections to the boundary and looked every bit a first-team player.

Every run was greeted with a cheer from the Crompton gathering, but those cheers turned into a grown when wicketkeeper-batsman was run out for 24. It was Rochdale's trophy.

Scores -

Wood Cup final: Rochdale 177-8 (H Cooper 75, A Zulfiqar 3-33, A Good 2-38), Crompton 124 (Si Wright 26, H Cooper 3-22).