Category: Club news

The first eleven had to once again accept a rain abandonment for the second week in a row.

Having won the toss, home captain, Travis Townsend chose to bat first in fairly dry conditions on what looked to be a batter friendly surface.

Accrington struck in the first over when their professional, Jurie Snyman, had in-form Thomas Heaton caught at mid off for 0.

This brought to the wicket Greenmount’s sub professional for the day, Abid Ali, a former Pakistan Test cricketer, now plying his trade at Egerton Cricket Club.

Ali started positively, dispatching anything loose and shared a 57 run second wicket partnership with Daniel Stevens before Stevens was dismissed, caught at point chasing a wide delivery for 20.

Andy Kerr joined Ali and provided support whilst the very classy Ali continued to score freely displaying fantastic technique and timing.

The partnership reached 66 before Kerr was harshly adjudged LBW for 12.

With rain clouds looming a further four balls were bowled before thunder intervened. This resulted in fairly long delay and early teas were called.

Upon returning from teas with the rain halting for a brief moment, play resumed with Greenmount needing to bat for a further 11 overs. Townsend perished for 12 in pursuit of quick runs and unfortunately only one further ball was to be bowled which Kieran Edwards duly dispatched for four through the slip cordon before the heavens opened.

No further play was permitted with Greenmount finishing on 163 for 4 from 30.5 overs. Abid Ali finishing on a splendid 90 not out from 98 balls which included 12 fours and two sixes.

Greenmount will have the task of travelling up to Bacup next weekend knowing that victory would result in a top four finish.

TRAVIS TOWNSEND

Second team report by LEIGH DICKINSON

Rain and Duckworth Lewis prevented any chance of defence for Greenmount second team when they travelled to Accrington.

It is always an advantage batting second in a rain-affected match and today was no different.

Greenmount were put in to bat and after a shaky start posted a respectable 158.  This was mainly thanks to a fantastic knock of 84 off 89 balls by Toby Leach who continued his great form.

As the overs reduced, Toby tried to reach his century with some serious bludgeoning towards the end, only to fall foul of the conditions slipping in the mud and unable to reach safety. 

Rion Dalugoda again showed promise with the bat scoring 18 and there was a senior debut for Greenmount Junior Edward Cunnington who scored eight off seven.

As the rain poured throughout tea the team eventually took to the field and Accrington took a strong hold of the game through some very aggressive batting. 

Ed Wackrill had a very strong leg before appeal turned down and Dexter Crowther came close to a catch off Adam Clarke, which meant that Accrington were well ahead of the DL par score. 

With more rain the game was suspended and as the clock ticked away the fixture came within ten minutes of being abandoned. 

With a revised score Accrington ended up needing nine runs off nine overs which they achieved easily.

Third team report by WES YOUNG

Greenmount third eleven came out on top in a closely fought encounter against Norden at Stag Park on Saturday afternoon to extend their lead at the top of the Division Two in the JW Lees Lancashire League Third XI League.

With both teams fielding a similarly talented young line-up, captain Mark Crowther lost the toss and Greenmount were put into bat on the edge of the square with short boundaries and windy conditions to consider.

The Mount lost two early wickets to put the pressure on but a partnership of 57 between Toby Leach and Harry Nuttall moved the score onto 64 for 3 before young Harry was caught out trying to increase the run rate.

Leach continued his recent impressive form finishing top scorer with 57, the villagers moving the score on well in the last few overs helped by unbeaten scores of 21 each from Liam Riley and Ben Clarke.

The score of 153 looked like it could have been a couple of dozen light but the Mount bowling attack got to work early and often taking regular wickets to break up any rhythm the Norden batsmen tried to impose.

Adam Clarke crucially grabbed an excellent catch on the boundary for the fourth wicket to dismiss Thorpe who had come out swinging with two sizes in the previous over.

Norden veteran Alan Howard kept his side in the game top scoring with 21 and the home side only needed 25 runs from six overs before Liam Riley bowled him then had Norden captain Jimmy Drury trapped in front of his stumps in the same over to seal the 12 points for Greenmount. Riley finished on 5 for 14 from seven overs with Dexter Crowther taking 3 for 16 and Ben and Adam Clarke taking a wicket apiece.

With Nelson – losing to Rishton – slipping to third behind Middleton in the process, Greenmount move 14 points clear albeit having played two games more than both rivals beneath them.

With uncertainty surrounding available dates to fit in their other fixtures before the league season end cut-off, a final game away at Towncroft against Middleton looks like it could be a title decider. Can Crowther’s Kids secure back to back titles?

A dour weekend for Greenmount’s first and second teams – along with the weather – failed to dampen the third eleven’s charge for the title writes SAM CHADWICK.

After beating Church by seven wickets in a 20-over encounter on Thursday, Mark Crowther’s thirds travelled to Todmorden on Bank Holiday Monday looking to stay top of their division. What ensued was a lively affair, overcoming their hosts by 22 runs.

The Mount were asked to bat first, and they made the most of their opportunity, going on to accumulate a score of 181 for 3 in their 40 overs.

Tom Clarke’s resurgence in form meant he compiled an excellent innings of 60 from 85 balls, before Toby Leach added to his recent exploits with 65 from 101. They still also allowed time for Adam Clarke to smash an unbeaten 42 from just 23 deliveries.

It was scoreboard pressure that told in the second innings, as Todmorden struggled to keep up with the required rate, despite having wickets in hand. Dexter Crowther’s effort of 3 for 26 with ball in hand, along with a scalp each for Noah Birtwistle and Liam Riley, meant that the home side ended 159 for 5.

Elsewhere, the first eleven’s loss to local rivals Ramsbottom at the Log Cabin on Saturday meant that the visitors wrapped up promotion from JW Lees Senior Division Two this weekend.

Winning the toss and electing to bat, the away side weren’t messing around in pursuit of their goal, as they posted 264 for 8. Hareen Buddila and Joe Holderness passed fifty, with sub-pro Dom Bess’s excellent figures of 4 for 56 somewhat coming in vain.

In reply, Tom Heaton’s 51 from 42 balls got Greenmount off to a decent start, but they never showed the firepower required to chase down such an imposing score.

Ramsbottom needed just a point to seal promotion after that victory, getting what they required on Sunday at home to Colne.

Everyone at Greenmount would like to congratulate the Rams on their well-deserved success.

With rain washing out all fixtures on Sunday, the only other game to be played this weekend saw the Second Team travel to Rochdale on Saturday, losing by 45 runs.

After choosing to bowl first, Greenmount limited their hosts to a chaseable score of 164 for 9 as the weather shortened proceedings to 40 overs a side.

Ed Wackrill and Liam Riley both stood out with the ball, taking three wickets each, while Rion Dalugoda also picked up two for his efforts.

However, the batting fell well short in the second innings. Despite Harry Nuttall’s defiant 26 from 77 deliveries, they ended 119 for 7 in their chase.

As a result, the seconds now sit in a disappointing tenth spot, while the firsts drop to fifth in their division.

Everyone, I’m sure, will be shouting for the thirds, though, as they enter the final stretch in their search for the title. They currently lead second-placed Nelson by eleven points.

The absence of professional Jacques Snyman wasn’t felt by Greenmount first team this weekend, as a stellar innings from Dan Stevens helped them to a 118-run win over Rishton at the Log Cabin writes SAM CHADWICK.

Elsewhere, the third team remained in the title hunt in their division after a dominant victory in a top-of-the table clash, while the seconds succumbed to another loss.

Following a disappointing defeat last time out, the first eleven’s hopes of promotion back to the JW Lees Senior Division One were all-but over. However, their victory on home turf on Sunday was still something to shout about.

Deputising for Snyman, Stevens opened the batting with Tom Heaton after the Mount had been put into bat and put on an excellent display. All-in-all, he scored 87 from 124 balls until he was eventually removed with his side on a commanding score of 215 for 7.

Stevens was the only player to pass fifty as the hosts ended their 50 overs on 242 for 8.

Rishton’s reply was over before it started, as they fell to 3 for 3, with all of their top three being removed for ducks. Adam Hussain’s 50 from 75 deliveries was the only saving grace as they ended 124 all out.

Callum Hunter and Amal Dalugoda did much of the damage with the new ball, picking up respective figures of 3 for 30 and 4 for 26. There were also two wickets for young off-spinner Noah Birtwistle and a single scalp for sub-pro Thomas Rogers.

The Log Cabin also played host to the third team on Saturday, as they beat league-leaders Nelson by eight wickets to set up a late charge for the title.

After losing the toss, Greenmount were asked to field first by their visitors and they duly obliged, bowling them out for just 104.

Birtwistle, again, impressed with the ball as he ended with figures of 4 for 17, whilst Adam Clarke took three for the same amount. There were also two wickets for left-armer Dexter Crowther and one for Ed Dickinson.

The chase was something of a formality, although Tom Clarke continued his recent improvements with the bat on his way to 45 from just 37 balls. As a result, Greenmount polished the game off in a brisk 20.4 overs.

Contrastingly, Toby Leach’s fighting 62 from 80 deliveries couldn’t stop a disappointing eight-wicket loss for the seconds at Rishton. The Mount had initially fallen to 52 for 5 after choosing to bat first on Sunday, but a partnership between Leach and Sam Chadwick helped the away side to recover, before the latter retired hurt. The result was an underwhelming total of 134 all out.

It was one their hosts didn’t struggle with, as Sahan Senapathi top-scored with an unbeaten 43 to help his side over the line inside 26 overs.

That result means the seconds move down a place to ninth. Otherwise, the firsts move back up to third with their win, while the third team are just three points off top-spot in what promises to be an exciting end to the campaign for them.

Greenmount’s first eleven suffered a heavy defeat at Great Harwood this weekend to stunt their late season momentum writes SAM CHADWICK.

However, there was plenty to shout about for the rest of the senior setup, with Ed Dickinson’s hundred helping the thirds to victory and a rare twelve points for the seconds.

Fresh off the news that pro Jacques Snyman had signed for the club for another season, the firsts travelled to Great Harwood on Saturday still with outside hopes of promotion. Things didn’t go to plan, though, as they succumbed to a 159-run defeat.

The Mount chose to bowl first but had to watch their opponents post a more-than-solid total, ending on 222 for 5 from their 50 overs. The hosts’ professional, Thikshila De Silva, top scored with 86 from just 68 balls, handily backed by an unbeaten 61 from Reece Willets.

The reply was even more disappointing, with the star opening partnership of Snyman and Tom Heaton being removed without a run between them. In fact, only Andy Kerr and Callum Hunter made it to double figures as the visitors were bowled out for 63. De Silva had a big hand in things again, picking up figures of 5 for 29.

There was better news at the Log Cabin on Saturday though, as the seconds built on an improved performance last week to overcome Middleton by six wickets.

Again, choosing to field first, all the work was done by a bowling quartet of Oliver Dixon, Max Birtwistle, Ed Wackrill and Liam Riley. All four took wickets, with Dixon’s figures of 4 for 35 standing out. They eventually removed their visitors for just 109 in 31 overs.

With a low total to chase, the result was something of a formality, although there was still enough time for Sam Greenhalgh to bag his second fifty in as many games. His score of 54 from 89, along with Birtwistle’s 39, did much of the heavy lifting.

Elsewhere, on Sunday, there was a landmark moment for Ed Dickinson as he made his way to his maiden senior hundred. This helped the third team to a 96-run win at Rawtenstall.

Winning the toss and electing to bat, Greenmount totted up a huge total of 241 for 5 in their 40 overs. Dickinson opened the batting and made his way to 116 from 126 balls in an eye-catching effort. He was ably backed up by Toby Leach, who hit a quickfire 68 from 47 balls.

Not content with one landmark, Dickinson returned with his off spin to take 5 for 41 in the second innings. This, along with wickets for Adam Clarke, Matthew Gilmore, Dexter Crowther and Ben Clarke, ensured Rawtenstall were bowled out for 145 in reply.

A loss for Nelson this weekend means the thirds are still well in the hunt for top spot in their division, moving to within 16 points in second. Otherwise, the  first team are in fourth place 32 points behind leaders Ramsbottom while the seconds move up a place from ninth to eighth.

Greenmount CC are pleased to announce the return of professional Jacques Snyman for a third season in 2025.

Jacques returns to South Africa after tomorrow’s clash at Great Harwood.

However, despite missing the last four weeks of the season he has still amassed more than 1,000 runs in all formats with an average of just under 50, bagging 59 wickets and 22 catches to demonstrate his all-round worth.

Jacques has made Greenmount his second home over the last two years and everyone is looking forward to welcoming him back next year.

Greenmount first eleven stormed to an eight-wicket victory over Nelson on Sunday to stay in the mix at the top of the league.

Elsewhere, the third team won once again but an improved performance from the seconds wasn’t enough for a rare twelve points.

Playing at the Log Cabin, the firsts would’ve been rueing a below-par bowling effort after winning the toss and choosing to field. This was especially the case given they had Nelson 17 for 3 early in the contest.

Their visitors put on 231 for 7 all-in-all, with Neil Thompson’s 93 from 122 balls being by far and away the highest score.

Callum Hunter at least had something to shout about with ball in hand, as he ended with commendable figures of 4 for 52 from 13 overs.

The rain then hit, and an extended delay meant that the new target for the Mount’s batters was 187 from 35 overs. This proved to be no issue, as the score was made in just 20.5 overs, with eight wickets to spare.

Plaudits, once again, went to the formidable opening pair of Jacques Snyman and Tom Heaton, who blasted scores of 55 and 96, respectively.

Heaton’s innings was especially impressive, making his way to the total in just 65 deliveries and scoring 17 fours before falling agonisingly short of a ton.

Once the partnership was broken, the two had put on 142 together, and victory was something of a formality.

A similarly dominant display came on Saturday for the third team, as they played host to Littleborough. After winning the toss and electing to bat, they compiled an excellent total of 213 for 8 off their 40, with several contributors.

Captain Mark Crowther top scored with 63 from 50 balls while Tom Clarke and Liam Riley hit 37 and 34 respectively. Altogether, six of the nine players to bat made it into double figures.

 In the second innings, the bowling effort followed a similar trend, as five of the six bowlers picked up at least one wicket. Riley picked up the best figures of the bunch, taking 3 for 23 in his eight overs.

The visitors were eventually removed for 145 at the end of the 38th over.

Contrastingly, Sunday’s second team fixture at Nelson was yet another tough one for Greenmount, as they lost by five wickets.

They will have been encouraged by the batting display, however, posting 183 for 7 after choosing to bat first. This was mostly down to an anchoring innings from Sam Greenhalgh, who carried his bat in an effort of 66 from 132 balls.

He was backed up by a well-made 42 off 50 from Toby Leach as the Mount at least buried some doubts from recent low scores.

Nelson are top of the league for a reason, though, and their chase was comfortable in the end, despite wobbling at 110 for 5 at one point.

Sardar Asghar (30*) and Armaan Moghal (43*) saw the hosts over the line by the end of the 36th over.

Results mean the first team sit in fourth in JW Lees Division Two, 20 points behind leaders Ramsbottom. The Thirds are also pushing in their league, staying in second with their win and trailing first-placed Nelson by 22 points. The Seconds are ninth as things stand.

Jacques Snyman smashed another fifty as Greenmount’s first eleven got back to winning ways with a comfortable win at Colne writes SAM CHADWICK.

Elsewhere, a young thirds side helped themselves to another win on Saturday.

The first team’s victory came by six wickets, although that didn’t tell the whole story of a dominant performance.

After being asked to field first, their bowlers soon got to work as they reduced their hosts to 41 for 4, and later 117 for 7. In fact, if it wasn’t for a fantastic 101 from 86 balls from Colne professional Geeth Kamara, things could have been much worse for the home side.

In the end they made their way to 180 all out in 41.3 overs. The wickets were shared by four Mount bowlers with Snyman (4-40) and Callum Hunter (3-48) being the pick of the bunch.

The chase came at a canter in just 27 overs, and much of that was down to Snyman’s brutal hitting at the top of the order. All-in-all he hit four 4s and six 6s on his way to 69 from just 38 balls.

After he had fallen, Travis Townsend and Danny Hornby took over to take their side over the line with unbeaten scores of 46 and 27, respectively.

Similarly, on Saturday, the third team helped themselves to a comfortable 47-run win at Rishton. Batting first, a real team effort helped them to a strong score of 168 for 9 from their 40 overs.

Five batsmen made their way into the twenties, with none of them going beyond, but Harry Nuttall’s 28 from 34 balls was particularly notable. Coming in at number ten, the young wicketkeeper blazed five boundaries and gave his side some real end-of-innings momentum.

Two more impressive displays followed as spinners Noah Birtwistle and Ed Dickinson took four wickets each. Dickinson’s efforts were especially impressive, ending with figures of 4 for 4 from 6.2 overs. As a result, their hosts were bowled out for 121 in 29.2 overs.

The other game on Sunday saw the second eleven play host to Church, although they lost by four wickets on a tough afternoon.

After a steady start, regular wickets fell in the first innings after winning the toss and choosing to bat. Captain Oliver Dixon top-scored with 30 from 60 on their way to a modest total of 121all out in 36.3 overs.

In an accomplished attack, all five Church bowlers helped themselves to wickets. The visitors looked comfortable for much of their chase, although some stoic fast bowling from Ed Wackrill (2 for 34) and George Kenyon (2 for 18) made the contest tighter than it first looked. The result was defeat by four wickets.

At the end of the weekend, the first sit in fourth place in the table, still with an outside chance of promotion from the Second Division. The seconds are ninth while the thirds kept their spot in second.

Despite another Tom Heaton hundred, Greenmount’ First Team’s first eleven fell 26 runs short of
victory at home to Walsden in a high-scoring contest. Elsewhere, a youthful third team
proved a shining light with a convincing win over Church and Oswaldtwistle writes SAM CHADWICK.

Starting on Sunday, the first eleven were looking for an upturn in fortunes after a string
of disappointing results in recent weeks. However, they were made to toil by Walsden’s
batters despite winning the toss and electing to field.

The visitors’ opening partnership was a solid one, worth 96 runs, with Josh Gale and
Nick Barker hitting scores of 49 and 56, respectively. This set the platform for their
middle order to kick on later in the innings, and it was their professional, Jameel Stuart,
who capitalized, coming in at number four to blast 73 off 51 deliveries. The result was an
imposing total of 277 for 6.

Greenmount began well in the chase, with the familiar opening partnership of Tom
Heaton and Jacques Snyman proving fruitful yet again. Snyman hit 52 in typically brisk
fashion, but once he was removed, Heaton stepped up to the plate. His measured
innings of 109 off 124 balls kept the hosts well in with a shout, although the regular fall
of wickets at the other end would prove to be their downfall.

The next top scorer was Kieran Edwards with 30 off 20 balls. He was one of six victims to
fall to the off-spin of Stuart, who capped off a fine all-round display with figures of 6 for 59.
Similarly, in the reverse fixture, the second team would also fall short in their chase as
they lost by 90 runs to cap off a difficult Sunday. Walsden chose to bat on their home
ground and ensured a tiring afternoon for Mount’s bowlers. Fiaz Khan top-scored with
71 from 67 balls, while Leon Bailey hit 65 from just 53. A cameo of 46 not out from 33
deliveries by Majid Khan compounded the hosts’ dominance as his efforts took them to
255 for 4 from their 45 overs.

Ed Wackrill’s head could at least be held high in the second innings, as he hit 45 from 55
balls to continue his excellent form with the bat, but the away side was eventually
bowled out for 166 in 42.2 overs after Chris Lord took figures of 5 for 36.
In contrast, the other game to take place at The Log Cabin brought a welcome
Greenmount win, as a particularly young third team brushed aside Church on Saturday.

After being asked to field first, the hosts’ familiar pace attack soon went to work,
applying constant pressure on their visitors. It was George Kenyon who particularly took
the eye with ball in hand, picking up his first-ever five-for in senior cricket in an
impressive effort. The other five scalps were shared around the rest of the bowlers, with
the away side ending on a below-par total of 112 all out in 32.2 overs.

Wickets fell in the reply, but scoreboard pressure was never on Church’s side. Wackrill
again top-scored with an eye-catching innings of 34 from 52 balls before Adam Clarke
finished the game off in style, hitting three fours and two sixes on his way to 28 not out
from 21 deliveries. All in all, the win came by five wickets in just 28.1 overs and was a
pleasing watch for stand-in captain Wesley Young.
Results leave the first team in fourth place, 13 points behind Crompton in third. The
second team sit in eighth in their division, while the third team sit in second place in
theirs, 22 points behind leaders Nelson.

A much-improved on-field performance from Greenmount’s senior teams this weekend saw two wins from two for the twos but the firsts fell just three runs short of a double! writes JOHN STEVENS

With Euro football fever gripping the nation probably the last thing anyone wanted was a double header but this weekend incorporated the first of the early season postponements.

On Saturday, the first team travelled to Rawtenstall and completed a comfortable win by nine wickets.

Fresh from his exploits with South Africa in the World Legends championship, professional Jacques Snyman starred with 4 for 29 and a typically belligerent unbeaten 64.

The second team match at home followed a similar pattern with the added interest of the first use of a hybrid pitch at the Mount.

Noah Birtwistle starred with 5 for 31 ably supported by Ed Dickinson with 3 for 26 and Matthew Gilmore with 2 for 21.

The runs were knocked off for the loss of Ed Dickinson for 36, Nigel Franklin was stranded on 49 not out and it was good to see a cameo unbeaten 18 from Max Birtwistle.

On Sunday the seconds continued their momentum with a tense one wicket win against a decent Crompton team.

Batting first Crompton made 177 , Ed Dickinson was among the action again with 4 for 37. After the last few games some may have been sceptical about our ability to chase.

Indeed after a shaky start losing four quick wickets things looked tricky. However partnerships continued to build with Chris Sherrington, 40 , Mark Crowther 23 and Liam Riley with an excellent unbeaten 29 being the main contributors.

It was a genuine team effort and an exciting prelude to the football. With captain Oliver Dixon away and pressure on availability with several young players absent, it was a brilliant club effort.

Thanks to Leigh Dickinson and Mark Crowther for stepping up to captain and lead from the front, two excellent days which offer signs of genuine progress and further potential.

The first team had a delayed start in their top four clash away at cloudy Crompton. Their opponents had first use of tricky batting conditions in a game where no player passed 50, finishing on 165 for 9.

Wickets were shared between Jacques 3 for 56, Amal Dalugoda 3 for 42 and Callum Hunter 2 for 42 with Jack Thomond taking the other.

The run chase followed a similar pattern to the seconds with four quick wickets tumbling after Jacques and Tom Heaton had reached an opening stand of 50.

Both fell for 28 and 22 respectively but when Andy Kerr and Gav Nicholl followed we were 68 for 4. Skipper Travis Townsend and Dan Stevens set about a rebuilding stand of 30 before Travis was bowled for 20 by a ball which kept low.

Kieran Edwards and Dan then combined for another stand of 30 before Kie was bowled for 18. Then with the score  at 146 with 19 to win Dan Stevens was caught and bowled for a fine 35 and Callum Hunter was caught for 7.

There was still belief that we could get over the line between Jack Thomond and Sam Greenhalgh but Sam was run out in very unfortunate circumstances leaving six to win from the last over. Jack was bowled from the last ball to leave us three runs short.

The result sees Greenmount in fourth place but only 15 points separate the teams so every game is going to be vital – starting next Sunday when league leaders Walsden visit the Mount.

Lots of cricket to be played yet , nine more exciting games to come – don’t miss it!

Unfortunately Harrison’s will not be serving food today (Friday 12th) as the function room is being closed off for a funeral. 

On Sunday England are playing Spain in the Euro 24 Final at 8pm. 

The football will be shown on the club’s eight TVs but we again ask that any children under 18 are sat with their parents and NOT allowed to roam around the club, inside or outside, on their own.

Additionally children are asked not to come to the bar as per licensing laws which we have recently been made aware of. 

These arrangements have been well received and respected, making the club a safer and more enjoyable environment for people, so thank you. 

Thank you for your understanding and support.

Greenmount CC Directors