Blow for Heyside as Pro heads home

ROELOF HUGO . . . the popular professional is suffering from a stress-related illness brought on by family problems in South Africa.

CRICKET:

CLASSY Heyside professional Roelof Hugo was returning to South Africa today.

The wicketkeeper-batsman is suffering from a stress-related illness brought on by family problems back home.

The Little Hey Street outfit have called up all-rounder Pieter Malan to act as deputy for Sunday’s Tanner Cup semi-final against Glodwick.

A fellow South African, he plays for Barrow in the Northern League and filled the same role for CLL side Royton earlier in the season.

Heyside captain Nick Campbell said: “Family comes first and cricket second in these situations.

“It is a massive blow to lose Roelof. He is a great servant to the club and the league, as well as a superb role model.

“I can’t speak highly enough about him.”

Jimmy Cummings will take over behind the stumps.

Despite Hugo’s absence — he tops the batting averages with 667 runs at 74.1 — Heyside go into Sunday’s last-four tie as favourites.

Winners of the Tanner Cup in 2008, thanks to Campbell’s man-of-the-match performance with the bat, they are in the hunt for three pieces of silver.

Third in the table, Heyside are also through to finals day in the Twenty20 Cup. Opponents Glodwick are chasing a first appearance in a Tanner Cup final.

Nigel Stock’s men are having another decent season — they are fifth in the standings — but this is a step into the unknown.

Glodwick had never won a cup-tie until their defeat of high-flying Uppermill in round two.

But that 75-run victory, inspired by pro Rehan Rafiq’s 67 and a four-wicket haul from Imran Asghar, will give them hope.

The other semi-final is between Greenfield and Bamford Fieldhouse, the holders, at Ladhill Lane.

It is a clash which features two sides heading in the opposite direction.

Bamford have won their last three games convincingly — they bowled out Droylsden and Stayley for under 60 runs apiece — while Greenfield have only tasted success in one of their last seven league fixtures.

Meanwhile, the highlight of tomorrow’s league action is Saddleworth’s visit to Heyside, who hope to have a deputy pro in place. The visitors are up to second in the table — they haven’t lost in the league since May 21 — and leapfrogged their hosts with a convincing defeat of Shaw last weekend.