SalfordOnline

After the ‘all cylinders’ win against Middleton last week, it was a distinctly 2nd gear performance against Crompton that resulted in a disappointing and unexpected defeat. Batting first, wickets fell at regular intervals and but for a partnership approaching fifty between Jim Ainscough and Liam Dorsey, the 115 total could have been much worse.

However, at tea the prognosis was that, if the bowlers used the conditions well, the match was still winnable. The Crompton approach to the difficult condition was ‘if it moves, hit it’ and that plan worked well as, despite losing wickets regularly, the ball was flying to the boundary with equal regularity. Greg Jennings took the first four wickets, but professional Madura Perera couldn’t find a way through with the exception of one stump shattering explosion, and the defeat was confirmed with Crompton having five wickets in hand.

Clifton seconds had a better day of it at Crompton, but they had to rely on a late order partnership between Richard Borrit and Andy Tocher to see them home. Wickets had been shared earlier and Chris Lord got the reply off to a decent start, but wickets tumbled in the middle order leaving Borritt and Tocher to see it off.

On Sunday, recently ‘un-retired’ Dave Wild’s much anticipated return to first team action disappeared into the drizzle as the firsts game was called off without a ball being bowled at Rochdale. The seconds vastly under strength team could only manage 115 at Manchester Road with only Geoff Griffiths providing any resistance. The game turned on a throw at the stumps which, according to all on the ground except the umpire, saw a Rochdale batsman run out by several feet. That batsman then went on to win the game for the visitors with 49 not out.

Clifton thirds went off to Saddleworth with a mixture of young and very young juniors and players dragged out of retirement for the bottom of the table clash. The side had to wait until 4.30 whilst the hosts battled the ground conditions and a 20 over clash resulted. Steve Eccles’ team did well to restrict the hosts to 122-4 and started the response well with Anthony Walsh showing why he is being constantly badgered to end his voluntary retirement.

However, once he went, despite batting well, the run rate climbed and eventually the innings closed on 84-7 just eight runs short of a bonus point. Eleven year old Robert Lord was the latest off the Clifton production line, his pull for four being one of the highlights of the day along with a nicely taken catch by 14 year old Alex Cunliffe.

Pic: Clifton skipper Liam Dorsey drives for four.

Clifton Cricket Club’s Jack Barton found that his enthusiasm for the game got the better of him on Sunday in the 3rd XI’s outing to Saddleworth. Chasing a ball to the boundary with his usual 110% effort, he careered off the pitch into a midden of rotting grass cuttings which resulted in a head to toe covering of black, sticky and extremely smelly goo. His team mates insisted in his being thrown into the shower fully clothed at the interval and his clothing was well sealed in plastic for the long journey home. To his credit, he battled on to end the innings without asking to leave the field for a change of clothes.

Pic: Jack Barton and the offending goo.