Cup delight for Super Saddleworth!

Photo: PICTURES by TIM BRADLEY.

HE’S GONE . . . Saddleworth batsman Michael Jones is bowled by Adam Robinson.

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Tanner Cup final: 

ONE down, two to go. Brian Lord’s Saddleworth side ticked off the first part of a possible silverware treble after beating Greenfield in the Tanner Cup final at Well-i-Hole yesterday.

Though victory by114 runs suggested a one-sided clash, that wasn’t the case. The game highlighted Saddleworth’s ability to dig-in when their backs are against the wall — take a bow Imran Aslam and Joe Taylor; the unerring accuracy of seam bowler Mohammed Shakir, and that opponents must grab their chances when they can.

The Saddleworth and District Cricket League leaders were reeling at 67 for six in the 24th over. Adam Robinson had removed skipper Lord with the fourth ball of the innings. He then bowled Australian overseas amateur Michael Jones for 10.

Adam Hayes trapped Steven Howard lbw and then Darren Shadford, very unlike Shadford this, charged Peter Gill, and was stumped by the bowler’s son, Chris.

The Roberts brothers, Peter and Dave, were also ensnared in front by Adam Hayes and Peter Gill respectively.

That Saddleworth reached 215 for nine owed much to Taylor’s resilient 30, as well as the Pakistani pro’s wham-bam 115. The pair put on 118 for the seventh wicket. Taylor, the former Werneth man, played straight and took no chances.

Aslam’s knock was more power than polish. His second 50 came off only 19 balls, but only after being dropped by Joe Hepworth on the boundary for 67. Once he was run out, after seven fours and nine sixes, the innings subsided. Robinson added Taylor to his list of victims — he took three for 21 — while Hayes and Peter Gill returned very decent figures of two for 23 and two for 32 respectively.

The four Greenfield players, who featured alongside Shakir in the Saddleworth League’s Inter-League triumph of seven days earlier, at the same ground, knew all about his talents. He blew away the Lancashire County League’s top order then, and he did the same here.

First Andrew McVeigh, playing in his umpteenth cup final, then Australian overseas amateur Brendon Jacobs in his first, Alex Peters followed and then Hayes to leave Greenfield 27 for four.

Four wickets for six runs in five overs, Shakir was not needed again.

The final was all but in the bag, the man-of-the-match shield as well for the ex-Droylsden wicket-taker. Captain Chris Gill, in at four, finished unbeaten on 61, but only one other batsman, Hepworth (10), managed double figures. Lord brought on Aslam, who duly mopped up eight, nine and 10 for figures of three for four.

Saddleworth won the very first Tanner Cup in 1925. With the formation of the new Pennine League which starts in 2016, they have won the last in its present form. Move over Professor Yaffle, that is some bookend.

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