Saddleworth in confident mood

BRIAN LORD . . . guided Saddleworth up to fifth place in the Premiership standings

  

by SIMON SMEDLEY

twitter: @Smedders1966

email: simonsmedley@oldham-chronicle.co.uk



NEW-LOOK Saddleworth are growing steadily into the JW Lees Brewery Pennine Cricket League and could well be set for a shock late-season Premiership glory charge.

Last year's Saddleworth and District League kings took a little time to gain their feet in the brand new 2016 competition, but now confidence in the camp is growing by the week and last weekend's comfortable reduced overs win against Rochdale lifted Brian Lord's side to fifth in the standings.

Lord said: "Unfortunately we lost quite a few players from last year's title-winning squad during the winter and consequently promoted a few of the young second-team lads for this year.

"We thought some of those lads had made good enough progress to warrant a place in the first team, but maybe it was in their minds about the jump in standard.

"I also think there was a certain fear factor in terms of people thinking we would be up against it when thrown in with the CLL teams.

"However, we beat Middleton early on and that helped, and though we lost to Walsden soon after, that was a really close game and we could quite easily have won it.

"That gave the lads even more belief.

"We went on a bit of a roll with four wins in a row, but then we lost at Glodwick and it all fell a bit flat again.

"We bounced back well by beating Rochdale, though, and despite this division being so close and competitive, our confidence levels are high again now."

Saddleworth face another decent test this Saturday when they welcome Littleborough to Well-i-Hole.

One player who will be relishing the contest, however, is in-form Pakistani overseas amateur Nauman Akram (21).

"Nauman has done particularly well this season," added Lord.

"He's really contributing now and as long as he keeps performing as he is at present, he'll complete a great season."

A former Pakistan under-19 international, Akram has played for home-town giants the Bahawalpur Stags.

SEE tomorrow's Chronicle for a preview of the weekend's action.