Royton throw it away

CRICKET:

ROYTON’S hopes of qualification for the quarter-finals of the JW Lees Bitter Tom Hardman Twenty20 Competition will need to be sorted out by the mathematicians after they lost a thrilling Group ‘C’ match against Rochdale at the Paddock by two runs.

Rochdale have won all three of their matches while Unsworth, Oldham and Royton have one success to their name.

Chasing Rochdale’s 133 for eight, Royton looked to be in control when they reached 129 for seven.

But two runs later, following the dismissal of overseas amateur Sam Fielding (23), Adam Good and Carl Taylor, they were all out with four balls of their 20 overs left.

It was a heartbreaking conclusion for Royton, who had restricted Rochdale to a manageable total despite professional Wensley Lansdale’s unbeaten 73 off 53 balls, which included eight fours and two sixes.

Paddock paid man Geeth Alwis smashed 54 off 25 balls (five fours and four sixes) to put his side on the right track, but Royton could not clinch the deal despite a middle-order 21 from Callum Porteous.

Crompton were well beaten at Walsden, who batted first in their Group ‘B’ encounter and made 131 for seven. In reply Crompton were skittled for 97 despite Denis Louis’s 31. Home professional Umesh Karunaratne took three for 15.

Werneth enjoyed a morale-boosting and thrilling win at Ashton, securing victory off the last ball of their 20 overs. Bradley Wilshaw-Phillips hit 41 in Ashton's 102 for eight, and Werneth reached their target for the loss of nine wickets.