Greenmount first eleven maintained the pressure at the top of the table to close out June with a fine win over fellow challengers Crompton at the Log Cabin writes JOHN STEVENS.
Conditions were seam friendly after a damp Saturday as skipper Travis Townsend won the toss and invited Crompton to bat first.
Wickets fell frequently with the home side producing a sharp fielding and bowling performance. Crompton eventually moved from 124 for 9 to a slightly more respectable 156 all out thanks to last wicket resistance from opening bowlers Good and King.
Both Travis and Callum Hunter bagged three wickets with professional Jacques Snyman taking 2 for 17 and Amal Dalugoda the prize wicket of professional Jamal who made a fine 54.
Greenmount’s reply merely served to underline the bowler-friendly conditions with both Snyman and Heaton out caught behind early and then Townsend receiving a peach from Adam Good to complete a hat-trick of catches for keeper Kain Dean.
At 32 for 3 Crompton sensed a potential early win in time for the football however Andy Kerr and Dan Stevens put together a match turning partnership of 85 before Dan was unfortunately run out for a fine 33 with three fours and two sixes.
Andy went on to see us through to complete the win with another excellent individual performance, unbeaten on 70 with eight fours and a six.
The win sees Greenmount remain in second place behind Walsden with just 16 points between the top three teams. The coming weeks will see crunch encounters against each of the other three teams from the top four so expect it to be exciting and tense stuff!
Elsewhere Oli Dixon’s second team suffered defeat in the reverse fixture at Crompton. The hosts compiled a competitive 208 for 9 thanks in the main to 84 from Whittle.
There were three wickets apiece for Dixon, Gareth Williams and Noah Birtwistle who continues his fine run of form in senior cricket. Unfortunately the Greenmount reply never really got moving with both Ed and Leigh Dickinson reaching 26, Ed Wackrill 22 before Dixon with 21 not out and Ben Clarke 14 not out at least ensured that we were not bowled out.
On Saturday Mark Crowther’s third team had posted a decent target of 209 for Todmorden only for rain to intervene and bring the encounter to an early close. Ed Dickinson made a fine 51 with contributions also coming from Nigel Franklin 43, Toby Leach 38, Ed Wackrill 35 not out and Sam Chadwick 26 not out.
This weekend is not all about England’s continued dramatic journey at the Euros as the first team have the Worsley Cup semi final at Todmorden on Saturday followed by the local derby away at Ramsbottom.
The thirds are at home on Saturday against Middleton and the seconds entertain Rochdale on Sunday. And if you don`t fancy any of that, there’s always the footy and Harrison’s on at the Mount!