Trojans pass their big Greenfield test

ROYTON Trojans’ bid to win the Oldham Cricket Development Group under-11s indoor league faced its biggest test when they met second-placed side Greenfield.

The Trojans’ total of 244 was based on competent solid batting with not a single wicket falling.

And it proved conclusive as they ran out winners by the narrow margin of 12 runs.

The pursuit of the Trojans therefore falls to newly-installed second-placed side Saddleworth.

Once again Saddleworth bowled and batted solidly, scoring 251 to defeat Woodhouses, who replied with 234.

The results perfectly set up this weekend’s clash between the Trojans and Saddleworth.

A win for Saddleworth would enable them to draw level with their Royton opponents.

Royton Heroes scored 225 in their match against Uppermill, and for a long time it looked as though that score would be enough.

But Uppermill’s last pair of George McKimm and Will Potts kept their nerve, didn’t lose their wicket and saw their team through to an 11-runs victory.

Shaw enjoyed their biggest win of the tournament, amassing a massive 298 against Heyside, with Oliver Cocker compiling 29 of the runs.

When it was Shaw’s turn to bowl, Rhys Parsons took four wickets in his over, and wicket-keeper Dan Shipton helped himself to a record-breaking four stumpings as Heyside totalled 193.

Christ Church claimed their first win of the season by beating the tournament newcomers, the Austerlands Avengers.

It was a competitive match in which the scholars’ excellent fielding restricted their opponents to 230, 11 runs short of the Christ Church score.

The other Austerlands team, the Aces, had no success in their match against Glodwick.

Harley Punchard took a couple of good catches, and Farhaan Ahmed four wickets in an over, to restrict the Aces to 203, in reply to Glodwick’s 223.