All systems go at in-form Crompton

SIMON Wright receives the Tanner Cup from Roger Tanner, with league chairman Nigel Tench looking on

EVERYTHING is rosy in the Crompton Cricket Club garden.

With the Tanner Cup and second XI Burton Cup safely tucked away, it has already been quite a season at Glebe Street.

And it could get better still. Crompton have taken Saddleworth's place in the last four of the Tom Hardman Twenty20 Cup ­- the Well-i-hole club withdrew from the competition after finals day was rearranged for Sunday week ­- and they haven't given up hope of making a late charge for the Premiership title.

So what has sparked the upturn in fortunes?

Crompton chairman Bob Wyszynskyj explained: "It was started by my predecessor Stuart Howarth, who sadly died three years ago.

"He saw that the club was run down. It required a change of attack, so money was ploughed into the ground to make it a nicer place for people to come.

MEMBERS

"With the hard work of the committee and the members, we've achieved that and as a consequence we have a set-up, which now includes juniors from under-nines through to under-18s and a third XI."

Wyszynskyj see the formation of a third team as the ideal pathway for young players to rise through the ranks.

One of Crompton's young guns, 14-year-old Harry Dean, was in the Crompton side which defeated Ashton by 91 runs in Sunday's Tanner Cup final.

"The third XI competition gives the younger players tremendous experience," said Wyszynskyj.

"I'm all for getting the youngsters involved as it keeps them off their ipods and off the streets.

"The parents come down as well and they can see the good things that are going on here."

Crompton, starting with the visit of Austerlands on Saturday, are still in with a shout of securing the inaugural JW Lees Brewery Pennine Cricket League Premiership crown.

Simon Wright's men are nine points adrift of new pacesetters Littleborough with half-a-dozen matches remaining.

RACE

Wyszynskyj can see the race for top honours going right down to the wire.

He said: "We've only got Littleborough of the really difficult teams to play and that comes at the end of the season.

"One never knows, that could be a title decider."

Now, that would cap a fine season for the Glebe Street gang.

• Check out more pictures of the Tanner Cup.