Tanner Cup duels take centre stage

darren shadford: closing in on 500 runs for the season.

CRICKET: 

EIGHT will become four on Sunday when hostilities resume in the Tanner Cup.

The Saddleworth and District Cricket League’s knock-out competition is at the quarter-final phase, with ties from Well-i-Hole to Warren Lane.

It’s Glodwick last crack at the prestigious trophy, headed as they are for the Greater Manchester League next year.

Standing in the way of Franco Lenhardt’s side and a place in the semi-finals is Stayley. The two teams met last month when Glodwick eased to a seven-wicket win.

Saddleworth overpowered Moorside in the previous stage and should get the better of Whalley Range, who are also GM-bound. The high-fliers not only boast the leading amateur batsman in the league this season, Darren Shadford, but also have the top amateur bowler, Steve Howard.

Friarmere will hope that home advantage can give them the edge of over Greenfield. It was some achievement to overhaul Wythenshawe’s mammoth score of 267 in round one, and the visitors won’t hold any fears for Sohail Mahmood’s men.

Austerlands’ stock rises with each passing week. Their latest vicitims in the league were Greenfield and it was mighty effort from the men from Thorpe Lane to chase down a victory target of 242.

Micklehurst are Austerlands’ opponents on Sunday, and they shouldn’t be taken lightly. Swept aside by Greenfield in the opening round of the Twenty20 Competition last Friday, they then succumbed to a revitalised Shaw, who piled up 355 a day later.

But Micklehurst are better than that, and skipper Michael Blomeley will want a positive reaction from his side.

Saturday’s league programme sees leaders Saddleworth make the short journey to Uppermill, while Moorside host Shaw.