Durose stars in derby success

Photo: Picture by Tim France.

ROYTON’S Liam Mason tries in vain to make his ground as he is run out by a throw from Werneth’s Matt Taylor.

ALAN DUROSE starred with bat and ball as Werneth won a thrilling Lake Garage CLL derby clash with Royton at the Coppice yesterday.

But you have to sympathise with Royton professional Luke Procter, whose own heroics went unrewarded.

Taking first guard, Royton made 169 for nine thanks to Procter’s brilliant knock of 111.

Royton were kept in check, however, and the man responsible for that was Durose, whose spin bowling netted him seven wickets for 70 runs.

Not content with inflicting such damage with the ball, Durose then set about the visitors with the bat, hitting a fine 63 as Werneth scrambled over the line with just two wickets to spare.

Procter did his utmost to complete a match-winning contribtuion, but his figures of six for 71 were not quite enough to deny the home side.

Oldham had the chance to derail Monton and Weaste’s title ambitions, but it was the visitors to the Paddock who brushed them aside with a ruthless display of cricketing efficiency.

Stand-in pro Dinuka Hettiarachchi of Sri Lanka, the St Anne’s paid man in the Northern League, took six for nine with his slow left-arm bowling, while giant paceman David Hamilton collected four for 48 as Oldham were skittled for only 76.

And the relentless Paul Green hit an an unbeaten 40 and Naveed Din 37 as Monton raced past Oldham’s total without loss.

Victory for Monton means they need only beat Heywood at home next Sunday to secure the league and Wood Cup double as Norden are four points behind in second place despite beating Middleton by two wickets at Towncroft, pace bowler Zane Arthur’s seven for 59 proving crucial.

Crompton were indebted to professional Mohammed Zaman Khan for their victory at Ashton.

The home side’s paid man, West Indian Montcin Hodge, dominated proceedings with a knock of 102 as Ashton made 176 for nine.

But after rain fell during Crompton’s reply, the visitors were set a revised target of 156 which they passed for the loss of nine wickets, Khan hitting 51 to add to his bowling figures of three for 56.

Scores: Ashton 176-9 (Hodge 102, Z Khan 3-56), Crompton 158-9 (Z Khan 51); Clifton 203-9 (Nisar 116, Storey 4-30), Milnrow 190 (Assad 55, Brierley 42, Hough 6-37); Heywood 181-6 (Taylor 62, Pawson 33, Hardman 31 n.o., Avery 3-31), Rochdale 177 (Weeraratne 45, Dawson 33, Cryer 32, Slawson 4-58); Littleborough 125 (Burns 4-20, Sabah 3-30), Radcliffe 161-8 (Patel 67, Barling 33, Smit 5-79, Deakin 3-81); Middleton 148 (Plant 47, Davey 32 n.o., Arthur 7-59); Norden 150-8 (Brierley 35, Makin 31 n.o., Plant 5-46); Oldham 76 (Hettiarachchi 6-9, Hamilton 4-48), Monton and Weaste 80-0 (Green 40 n.o., Din 37 n.o.); Walsden 229 (Sbizzirri 45, Priyadarshana 43, Richards 4-55), Unsworth 251-6 (Madsen 104); Werneth 170-8 (Durose 63, Procter 6-71), Royton 169-9 (Procter 111, Durose 7-70).