Captain heaps praise on Saddleworth trio

A MINUTE’S silence was held before the Tanner Cup final in honour of Danny Hare, a former Saddleworth player, treasurer and chairman of the cricket section, who died recently.

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Cricket:

SKIPPER Brian Lord was fulsome in his praise for three of his Tanner Cup heroes after Saddleworth beat Greenfield by 114 runs in the final at Well-i-Hole

The wiin set the ball rolling in their hunt for a trophy treble.

Though the margin of victory was huge in the end, it wasn’t a fair reflection of the opening skirmishes.

Saddleworth were in big trouble at 67 for six and it required the effort of professional Imran Aslam (115) and number eight Joe Taylor (30) to turn the tide.

In a stand of 118, they helped lift Saddleworth to 215 for nine in front of a crowd of 400.

Greenfield, after losing a cluster of early wickets themselves, crashed to 101 all out in reply.

Mohammed Shakir was the home side’s chief destroyer with the ball, taking four for six from five overs.

Lord said: “I put it to the lads in the dressing room afterwards that we owed a great deal to Joe, Immy and Shak. They won us the game. Joe played a sensible knock and stuck in there with Immy, who did what everyone knows he is capable of.

“I knew if we got 150 that would be a competitive total, but once we reached 200, it was ours to lose.”

Four of the half-dozen runs Shakir conceded came courtesy of an Andrew McVeigh boundary.

Lord added: “When Shak bowled against Friarmere the day before he seemed to saving a bit for the final.

“That opening spell knocked the stuffing out of Greenfield. They all saw what he did against the Lancashire County League, and he repeated it here.”

Saddleworth will now switch their attention to the league title, where they have a healthy, 59-point lead over Austerlands, and they will be one of four teams gunning for the Pro Elite Sports Twenty20 Cup glory on Monday week.



LEWIS Crowther of Wythenshawe and Micklehurst overseas amateur Alton Beckford picked up one-match bans after an altercation in the match between the two teams. Both clubs acted by suspending their players after the incident. The Saddleworth and District Cricket League disciplinary approved the punishments.

THE semi-finals of the Hollinwood CC tournament will take place on Monday, August 24, at 4.30pm and 6.30pm. They will be of 15 overs per side. The final will be held 24 hours later, starting 5.30pm and will be of 20 overs each.