Day of destiny for super Friarmere

IMRAN ASLAM . . . early victim with the bat, but kept it tight with the ball as Saddleworth overcame Crompton at Well-i-Hole

FRIARMERE, Monton and Weaste and Saddleworth have joined Greenfield on Tom Hardman Twenty20 Cup finals' day duty.

While the Ladhill Lane outfit progressed thanks to a Friday-night victory against Norden, the remaining quarter-final ties were held over until Tuesday night because of wet grounds.

Conditions were in complete contrast in midweek as players contended with red-hot temperatures on the hottest day of the year so far.

Friarmere are enjoying a great season in the JW Lees Pennine Cricket League Championship, and they upset top-flight side Glodwick at Warren Lane.

The hosts started well, with skipper Franco Lenhardt (26) and professional Rehan Rafiq (21) adding useful runs.

However, apart from Michael Bling's unbeaten 30 batting at number four, no-one else reached double figures as they collapsed to 122 all out.

Paid man Adil Mustafa took three for 21 from his four overs, while one of the finds of the season, Afaq Ali Sartaj, claimed two for 31.

CAMEOS

Shahid Mahmood picked up three for 14 in reply, but 36 from Mohammed Waqas, plus cameos from unbeaten batsmen Ishtiaq Hussain and Waseem Imtiaz saw Frairmere to a three-wicket success.

Despite losing pro Imran Aslam for only three, Saddleworth regrouped to post 149 for nine against Crompton at Well-i-Hole.

Overseas amateur Nauman Akram (36), Darren Shadford (28), captain Brian Lord (20) and Steve Taylor (18) were the main run-getters.

Crompton were dismissed for 104, with only skipper Simon Wright (28) and Sam Rigby (20 not out) able to make any impression with the bat.

Mohammed Haroon, who had only played in midweek cricket league until the start of this season, took three for 11 from his four overs.

Although he failed with the bat, Aslam's three overs went for only eight runs as Crompton's chances of victory slipped by.

CREDIT

Saddleworth captain Brian Lord said: "When Immy (Aslam) was out early on, I thought 'oh no.' He had been in good form in the competition up until then with a couple of 50s.

"But credit to the other players, they saw us a to a par total. It was a good effort on a wicket that was a bit slow.

"We knew Crompton's top four were strong, so get rid of their pro (Keegan Petersen) and Josh Tolley so cheaply was a really good effort.

"Simon Wright took 15 off one over which could have turned the game, but when he was out, they fell away pretty quickly."

The last-eight contest was played in scorching temperatures.

Lord was glad it was only a T20 game, adding: "It was really hot when we were batting, but a bit cooler when it was our turn to bowl.

"I could only have imagined what it would have been pretty tough in a 50-over game."

Monton and Weaste completed the last-eight line-up ­- the quartet will gather on Sunday, August 21, at a venue to be decided ­- with victory over Premiership rivals Littleborough, who lost at the last-four stage of the Wood Cup two days earlier.