Crompton skipper rues a wasted opportunity

DEJECTION . . . Crompton captain Simon Wright reflects

GOOD first half, the less said about the second the better.

That was the reaction of Crompton skipper Simon Wright after his side's 53-run defeat by Rochdale in the JW Lees Bitter Wood Cup final.

Although, batting was tricky on an unusually slow-paced Towncroft track, the Glebe Street outfit did a decent job in keeping their opponents to 177 for eight, of which professional Henry Cooper made a determined 75.

TOTAL

Wright's opposite number Dale Highton thought it was a total Rochdale could defend, though, and so it transpired as, in the gathering gloom, Crompton fell away to 124 all out.

Wright said: "It wasn't your typical Middleton wicket as the ball didn't come on to the bat.

"It probably suited their bowlers a bit more, but the simple fact was, we didn't apply ourselves properly when it was our turn to bat.

"We should have gone out with the intention of batting the full 50 overs to get the runs.

"We didn't get off to the best of starts at five for one off five overs. If we'd reached 40 without loss, we could have started chipping away at the target.

"Rochdale's was a decent score, but one we felt was in our reach."

Crompton were chasing only a second Wood Cup triumph - their only other final success came in 1980 - and Wright admitted they let the chance slip through their fingers.

Cooper batted for the best part of 48 overs for his score, but no one in Wright's line-up was able to emulate the young New Zealander's concentration levels.

With Crompton, Rochdale, Littleborough Norden, Milnrow, Middleton and Walsden heading to the Lancashire League next year and the other 17 Pennine Cricket League clubs signing up for Greater Manchester League in 2018, this was the last Wood Cup in its present format.

That fact was not lost on Wright, who explained: "I said in the dressing room afterwards, it was an opportunity missed and it may never come round again.

"We had a chance of winning the Wood Cup and that's the disappointing thing.

"For the 50-per-cent of the game we did well. Our bowling and fielding was good - we couldn't have done much better.

"Denis Louis, myself and the professional, we all got starts with the bat, but none of us were able to cash in and get the job done.

"Amateur for amateur there wasn't much between the two sides, but the Rochdale pro was able to stick around to get a score."

Wright's task now is maintain his side's focus for the remainder of the season.

They have half-a-dozen games left to make sure they qualify for next year's LCB Cup competition.

Crompton are seventh in the Premiership - the last qualiying place - five points ahead of Stayley, and Wright said: "We don't want the season to fizzle out.

"We've got nothing to lose, so we can go out and express ourselves.

"At the end of the day, we are amateurs who, after a week at work, want to go out and enjoy our cricket."