Franco ready for final push

Photo: Tim Bradley

pull to leg . . . Greenfield overseas amateur Brendon Jacobs whips the ball away during his innings of 23 against Austerlands on Saturday. The Australian followed up with an unbeaten 57 at Stayley.

CRICKET: GLODWICK haven’t given up hope of winning the SWB Commercials Saddleworth and District Cricket League title.

The reigning champions are second in the table, albeit 43 points adrift of Saddleworth. But while the league leaders have two games still to play, Glodwick have three.

And for the last-ever round of matches in the league before it merges with the CLL as the Pennine League, Glodwick will be without two key personnel.

Prolific professional Rehan Rafiq has playing commitments in Pakistan and batsman Anees Ur Rehman is unavailable.

Skipper Franco Lenhardt said: “There is still a chance and a belief within the club that it can be done, but it needs Saddleworth to slip up and for us to win our remaining games. We’ll try to do our bit and then see what happens.”

This is Lenhardt’s first season in charge at Warren Lane after taking over from Nigel Stock.

It didn’t start too well for the former Werneth all-rounder, who missed the opening four league games with an injured finger.

The side lost two of the four games but have been beaten only twice in the league since.

With close rivals Austerlands losing at Greenfield last Saturday, Glodwick were able to climb up to second place thanks to a maximum 44-point weekend.

“We’ve done alright,” added Lenhardt. “We struggled with players missing games early on in the season, but that has settled down now.”