Greenmount moved to the top of the JWL Lancashire League Division Two table and into the semi-finals of the Worsley Cup after a great weekend.
Yet it started on a losing note when local rivals Ramsbottom visited the Log Cabin on Friday night and after a closely-fought encounter, claimed a four wicket victory in the T20 Competition.
After the Mount posted a total of 136 all out – with Andy Kerr top-scoring with 35 – the Rams won with just three balls remaining.
On Saturday a tough visit to Norden in the Worsley Cup quarter-final was on the cards, however, a fine batting display saw the villagers over the line and lined up a tasty semi-final at Ramsbottom on Saturday, July 5th.
Evan Dobson
After Norden scored 239 for 9 from 44 overs (Jacques Snyman 4 for 33) the Mount reached their target for the loss of six wickets.
There was a fine performance from Evan Dobson who hit an unbeaten 70 with Snyman (55), Gav Nicholl (43) and Travis Townsend (32) also making useful contributions.
A six-wicket triumph over Nelson at the Log Cabin on Sunday took the club to the top of the league.
After the visitors had posted a challenging total of 246 all out, professional Jacques Snyman again showed his undoubted class with a terrific 136 that included 18 fours and two sixes as the Mount chased and overcame a revised target of 228 from 45 overs.
Also on Sunday, the second team picked up a fine victory on the road at Walsden.
The home side scored 161 for 7 from their 45 overs but a superb unbeaten innings of 66 from Nigel Franklin was the mainstay of the Mount reply in a nine-wicket success.
Sam Greenhalgh (40) and Harry Nuttall (20) were also among the runs.
Greenmount CC are sad to report that former player and long-time member Jimmy Sharples has died at the age of 82.
Jimmy began playing at Greenmount in the 1960s and was always a familiar, friendly face around the Log Cabin as was his late wife Doreen.
His two sons, John and James also played at the club while James’ two sons James and Harry keep the family tradition by playing in the junior section.
Jimmy’s funeral will be held at East Lancashire Crematorium, Radcliffe on Thursday, 3rd July at 1.30pm and afterwards at the Log Cabin where the family invite everyone to share their memories of Jimmy.
All at Greenmount send their sincere condolences to his daughters Samantha and Salena and sons John and James and their families.
Greenmount’s first eleven game at Rishton fell foul of the weather on Sunday, however, they were in action in the Lancashire League’s T20 competition at Division One Norden on Friday.
Friday, 6th June – First team v Norden away (T20 Competition). Lost by 58 runs (DLM). 0 points
Following their first victory against Haslingden the previous week they were brought down to earth with a bump when the home side registered a 58 run victory in a rain-affected game at Stag Park.
After winning the toss, Norden put on 179 for 7, mainly thanks to skipper Dom Humphreys who smashed seven sixes and three fours in a 39 ball knock of 72.
Rain reduced the villagers’ target to 127 from 12 overs but they never looked likely to achieve that as they were reduced to 68 for 8 from 11.2 overs.
Sunday, 8th June – Second team v Rishton at home. Won by 7 wickets. 12 points
The second team did manage to get a game in at the Log Cabin on Sunday and enjoyed a seven wicket win when Rishton seconds were the visitors.
The visitors’ decision to bat on winning the toss backfired as they were dismissed for 108 all out in 29.1 overs.
Ryan Edge took four wickets for 13 while Dexter Crowther and Max Birtwistle picked up a brace apiece with Harry Nuttall taking one.
Nigel Franklin (40) and Sam Greenhalgh (33) got the lion’s share of runs in the 109 reply which was reached for the loss of three wickets in the 24th over.
It was a clean sweep of victories for all Greenmount senior sides at the weekend with four wins over the three days.
The firsts defeated First Division Haslingden in the first T20 of the season on Friday night then followed up with a victory over Great Harwood on Sunday.
Meanwhile the second team defeated their Middleton counterparts at Towncroft and on Saturday the thirds enjoyed a great win at Norden.
Friday, 30th May – First team v Haslingden at home (T20 Competition). Won by 36 runs
A bumper crowd witnessed the club’s first T20 clash against Haslingden on Friday and they were rewarded with a superb win against Division One opponents.
Jacques Snyman
The visitors won the toss and decided to field but found Mount professional Jacques Snyman in belligerent form smashing seven 6s and twelve 4s in his score of 97.
Also adding to the villagers’ 191 for 7 total were Ishy Patel (19), Gav Nicholl (18) and Ed Dickinson (17 not out).
Wickets fell steadily during the Haslingden reply and they fell 36 short at the end of their 20 overs.
In the wickets for Greenmount were Jacques Snyman (3 for 29); Callum Hunter (2 for 29) and one each for Noah Birtwistle, Tom Heaton and Ed Dickinson.
Sunday, 1st June – First team v Great Harwood at home. Won by 5 wickets (DLM). 10 points
Not even an early downpour could dampen the mood on Sunday when Great Harwood were put to the sword courtesy of a five-wicket victory.
Evan Dobson
The visitors elected to bat after winning the toss and made a steady start putting on 78 before Callum Hunter claimed the first of his four victims on the day.
With the innings reduced to 41 overs due to the precipitation, the elusive final wicket wasn’t to be as the visitors posted a total 184 for 9.
Cameron Mapstone
Apart from Callum’s four, Jacques Snyman took two wickets and there was one apiece for Travis Townsend and Amal Dalugoda.
With a revised target of 188 due to Duckworth-Lewis – Jacques Snyman (41) top scored in the Mount response and they comfortably got over the line thanks to a fine unbeaten sixth wicket partnership between Evan Dobson (37) and Cameron Mapstone (34).
Also a special mention to Andy Kerr who passed the 2,000 Lancashire League run mark during his knock of 27.
The win keeps Greenmount in second place in the table, four points behind leaders Rishton who are their opponents next Sunday.
Sunday, 1st June – Second team v Middleton II away. Won by 7 wickets. 10 points
At Middleton on Sunday, seconds skipper Oli Dixon won the toss and put the home side in to bat and it proved to be a wise decision as the Mount cruised to a seven wicket victory.
Max Birtwistle
In the rain-restricted game which was reduced to 37 overs, Middleton scored 115 for 9 with Max Birtwistle picking up four wickets, Jake Riley three while Ryan Senior bagged a brace.
Mount were 58 for 3 when Matty Donnelly (28 not out) joined Toby Leach (33 not out) in the middle and this pairing saw their side home with an unbeaten fourth wicket partnership of 58.
The second team now sit handily placed in fourth position in the Lancashire League Junior Division Two table after seven games.
Saturday, 31st May – Third team v Norden III away. Won by 5 wickets. 12 points
The third eleven’s fine start to the campaign continued on Saturday when they travelled to Rochdale to take on their Norden counterparts.
Dexter Crowther
Skipper Mark Crowther won the toss and elected to field and his charges bowled out the home side for 160 inside 37 overs.
The captain’s son Dexter Crowther did his dad proud with three wickets while there were two for Alex Bullen and one each for Adam Clarke, his brother Tom, Rion Dalugoda and Liam Riley.
Tom Clarke (48) top scored in Mount reply, closely followed by Wes Young (42), but it was a studied unbeaten sixth-wicket partnership from Dexter (23) and Liam Riley (20) that eased their side past what was required in the 24th over.
The thirds go seven points clear at the top of the Lancashire League Third Eleven Division Two table following their success.
Following the first team’s T20 home victory against Haslingden on Friday evening, this week they travel to Norden.
Fixtures for the coming week are: Friday, 6th June: T20 – First team away at Norden. Sunday, 8th June – First team away to Rishton. Sunday, 8th June – Second team at home to Rishton.
All games begin at 12.30pm except the T20 which is 6pm.
Food from The Boundary will be served this week on:
This week’s bar opening hours from Monday, 2nd June are:
Monday: 3pm to 10pm
Tuesday: 3pm to 11pm
Wednesday: 3pm to 11pm
Thursday: 3pm to 11pm
Friday: 2pm to 11pm
Saturday: 12 noon to 11pm
Sunday: 12 noon to 10.30pm
Sport on TV this week
Tuesday, 3rd June: Cricket ODI England v West Indies
Friday, 6th June: T20: 6.30pm England v West Indies
Saturday, 7th June: 5pm Andorra v England
Sunday, 8th June: T20: 2.30pm England v West Indies
Cask ales this week
The coming week’s cask ales will be a selection of beers: Cumbrian – Esthwaite Bitter and Loweswater Gold; Bowland Bumble; Brewsmith Bitter and Moorhouses White Witch & Blonde Witch.
Greenmount’s first eleven enjoyed a Bank Holiday boost with two victories at the weekend, results that shot the club into the quarter-finals of the Worsley Cup and to second place in the league.
Saturday, 24th May – First team v Accrington away (Worsley Cup round two). Won by 9 wickets
A superb unbeaten 100 from Tom Heaton saw the Mount to victory at Accrington in an all Division Two Worsley Cup clash.
Skipper Travis Townsend congratulates Tom Heaton on his unbeaten century at Accrington on Saturday
The home side won the toss and elected to bat and at 83 for seven looked down and out, however an unbroken eight wicket partnership of 110 between Emile Haratbar and Mohammed Tayyib gave their score a more respectable look as they finished on 193 for 7 from their 50 overs.
Ishy Patel took four of the Accrington wickets and Callum Hunter three.
However, that total proved insufficient as an unbeaten partnership of 145 between Tom (100 not out) and Andy Kerr (55 not out) saw the villagers home in the 28th over.
Sunday, 25th May – First team v East Lancashire away. Won by 6 wickets. 12 points
A trip to bottom-of-the-table East Lancashire was the following day’s league fixture and despite the threat of rain clouds curtailing a finish, twelve vital points were picked up at Alexandra Meadows.
East Lancs skipper Hudson Walshaw won the toss and chose to bat but his side’s total of 136 all out in 45.5 overs was never going to be enough.
Professional Jacques Snyman took four of the East Lancs wickets with Ishy Patel and Callum Hunter taking two apiece and Travis Townsend one.
The Mount knocked off what was required for the loss of four wickets with Evan Dobson (16 not out) and Gav Nicholl (11 not out) seeing them home. Travis Townsend top scored with 42.
Saturday, 24th May – Second team v Ramsbottom at home (Junior Cup round two). Lost by 6 wickets
The second team’s involvement in the Junior Cup was ended when local rivals Ramsbottom visited the Log Cabin.
Oli Dixon won the toss, decided to bat and saw his side put on 198 for 8 from their 50 overs.
The lion’s share of the runs came from Sam Greenhalgh (38); Max Birtwistle (35); Ryan Senior (26) and Toby Leach (24).
Unfortunately, the Mount found Ramsbottom’s Isaac Turner in great form and his unbeaten 101 and former Greenmount man Jack Thomond’s 64 not out, saw them home for the loss of four wickets in the 48th over.
Sunday, 25th May – Second team v East Lancashire at home. Won by 10 wickets. 12 points
It was a different matter for the seconds on Sunday when their East Lancashire counterparts were the visitors.
Greenmount dismissed the Blackburn side for 100 with Ed Wackrill and Rion Dalugoda both taking three wickets, Adam Clarke two and Max Birtwistle one.
Max (53 not out) then played his part in an unbeaten first wicket partnership with Harry Nuttall (26 not out) as the Mount cruised home in the 21st over.
Bank Holiday Monday 26th May – Third team v Rochdale at home. Won by 9 wickets. 12 points
On Monday the focus was on the third team who faced Rochdale III at the Log Cabin.
To round off the holiday weekend, Mark Crowther’s lads beat the weather and their opponents by 9 wickets to go joint top of the Third XI Division Two table.
Father-and-son duo Liam and Jake Riley took three wickets each with Ben Clarke helping himself to two and Dexter Crowther one as Rochdale were dismissed for only 69.
An unbeaten 72 run partnership between Nigel Franklin (34) and Tom Clarke (29) saw the Mount home in only 11 overs for the loss of only one wicket.
T20 returns to the club this week with the first eleven at home to Haslingden on Friday. The action begins at 6pm.
There will be music, a barbeque and an outside bottle bar as well as the two bars being open inside the clubhouse. Drinks will be served in plastic pots.
Cricket fixtures for the coming week
Monday, 26th May: Third team at home to Rochdale.
Friday, 30th May: First team at home to Haslingden in T20
Saturday, 31st May: Third team away to Norden
Sunday, 1st June: First team at home to Great Harwood
Sunday, 1st June: Second team away to Middleton
All games begin at 12.30pm except the T20 (6pm)
Food from The Boundary will be served this week on…
Both Greenmount’s first and second elevens took full advantage of another sun-kissed Sunday as they enjoyed maximum points victories thanks to some superb individual performances with bat and ball.
Sunday, 18th May – First team v Rawtenstall at home. Won by 266 runs. 12 points
The first team entertained Rawtenstall at the Log Cabin and Travis Townsend elected to bat after winning the toss – it proved to be the start of a fruitful day for the Mount skipper.
The villagers ran up a tremendous total of 380 for 4 from their 50 overs thanks to superb knocks from Andy Kerr (131 not out); 129 from Travis and another good contribution from professional Jacques Snyman who hit 74 before being unluckily adjudged leg before.
15-year-old Noah Birtwistle led the first team off after taking a career best 6 for 33
During the onslaught, Andy hit fifteen fours in his total while Travis plundered four sixes and 17 fours and Jacques one six and twelve fours.
Cameron Mapstone again chipped in with an unbeaten knock of 15 at the end of the innings.
In reply, Rawtenstall made a somewhat steady start with professional Anuk Fernando (47) looking to get to grips with the Greenmount attack but a timely catch by Travis off the bowling of Noah Birtwistle sent him packing with the score on 91.
From then on it was pretty much the Birtwistle show with the 15-year-old spinner helping himself to a fabulous six wicket haul for 33 runs from seven overs. Jacques took two wickets with Ishy Patel the other one as the Valley side were dismissed for 114 all out.
Sunday, 18th May – Second team v Rawtenstall II away. Won by 9 wickets. 12 points.
Not to be outdone, the seconds also put paid to their counterparts from Rawtenstall at The Rossendale Driveways and Patios Worswick Memorial Ground.
Smiling seconds skipper Oli Dixon leaves the field after his seven-wicket haul
The win was a triumph for skipper Oli Dixon who, buoyed by his two first team wickets last week and having lost the toss and given the job of fielding, ripped through the unfortunate Rawtenstall batting line-up to finish with superb figures of 7 for 50 from 11 overs.
Rion Dalugoda picked up the other three victims as the home side were all back in the shed for 116 all out in 22.5 overs.
That total was always going to be easy meat for the Mount, especially with Ed Dickinson in such good form. The young opener put in another fine display finishing unbeaten on 64 and with Max Birtwistle (29 not out) they saw the villagers home for the loss of one wicket.
A great weekend all round and what should be a real confidence-booster ahead of next weekend’s league and knockout double-header.
It’s a busy week for the first and second teams next weekend with the following fixtures: Saturday, 24th May: Worsley Cup: First team away to Accrington while on the same day the second team are at home to local rivals Ramsbottom in the Junior Cup. On Sunday, 25th May the first team are away to East Lancashire in the league while the seconds entertain East Lancashire’s seconds. All games begin at 12.30pm.
Food from the Boundary will be served:
Wednesday: Europa League Final: Tottenham v Man Utd: Opening hours will be 5pm to 9pm and the menu will be as normal throughout the evening.
Half-time food can be pre-ordered prior to kick-off and will be ready to collect at the break with no waiting time as the half-time whistle sounds!
This week’s bar opening times from Monday, 19th May are:
Monday: 3pm to 10pm
Tuesday: 3pm to 11pm
Wednesday: 3pm to 11pm
Thursday: 3pm to 11pm
Friday: 2pm to 11pm
Saturday: 12 noon to 11pm
Sunday: 12 noon to 10.30pm
Sport on TV this week from Monday, 19th May
Monday: 8pm Brighton v Liverpool
Tuesday: 8pm: Man City v Bournemouth
Wednesday: 8pm: UEFA Europa League Final: Tottenham v Man Utd
Thursday: 7pm Premier League Darts
Saturday: 3pm Championship Play-off: Sheff Utd v Sunderland
Sunday: 4pm: Three Premier League games will be shown in the members’ bar, function room and members’ middle room. Games to be advised.
This week’s cask ales
The coming week’s cask ales will be a selection of beers from: Bowland: Boxer Blonde & Bumble; Brewsmith Bitter; Cumbrian Ales: Loweswater Gold and Moorhouses: White Witch & Blonde Witch
Greenmount’s first eleven moved up to joint fourth place in the JWL Lancashire League Division Two table after a three wicket victory at Accrington on Sunday. However, it was a three wicket defeat for the seconds at the Log Cabin against Accrington’s second string with the thirds picking up a fine ten point victory at Todmorden on Saturday.
Sunday, 11th May – First team v Accrington away. Won by 3 wickets. 10 points.
The home side won the toss and decided to bat but were soon in trouble as Oli Dixon accounted for their openers Jon Hayhurst and Nathaniel Young with just 16 on the board.
Accrington’s middle order steadied the ship somewhat with Jacob Clarke (53), Ali Hasham (46) and professional Jurie Snyman (43) the backbone of their innings which totalled 221 for 9.
Leading the way with the ball was Mount’s stand-in professional Mohammed Junaid who finished with figures of 5 for 50 from 15 overs.
Cameron Mapstone leaves the field at Accrington following his fine unbeaten 47 that saw the first team home by three wickets
The Greenmount reply got off to the worst possible start with young openers Ed Dickinson and Evan Dobson both back in the shed with the score on five.
Andy Kerr put on a steady 45 to move things along before Travis Townsend put in a real skipper’s innings of 83 (11 fours and 2 sixes).
Travis departed with the score on 174 for 6 but when Ishy Patel became the seventh wicket with 42 runs needed for victory the game hung in the balance.
It took a splendid eighth wicket partnership of 45 between Cameron Mapstone (47 not out) and Jacob Norris (12 not out) to see the villagers home in the 46th over for a deserved and hard-fought victory.
Sunday, 11th May – Second team v Accrington at home. Lost by 3 wickets. 3 points.
Stand-in skipper Kieran Edwards won the toss, elected to bat and his decision looked to be the correct one as his youthful side put on a challenging 244 for 8 from their 45 overs.
The evergreen Nigel Franklin top scored with 53 while there were useful contributions from Max Birtwistle (41), Ed Wackrill (34), Jake Riley (26) and Jake’s dad Liam (20).
Nevertheless, the visitors found that target relatively easy thanks to a fine innings of 86 from Husan Ashraf and 51 from Waleed Majeed which proved to be the backbone of their 245 for 7.
Max Birtwistle took three wickets for the Mount; Ed Wackrill two and there was one each for Rion Dalugoda and Jake Riley.
Saturday, 10th May – Third team v Todmorden away. Won by 27 runs. 10 points.
The thirds got the weekend off to a flyer on Saturday when their trip to Centre Vale, Todmorden yielded them ten well-earned points.
Skipper Mark Crowther won the toss and chose to bat. Wes Young (50) and Noah Birtwistle (47) gave Greenmount a good start before four wickets in the space of 13 runs looked like undoing all their good work with the score on 132 for 6.
Wes Young
Thankfully, a good partnership of 43 for the eighth wicket between Jake Riley (28) and Oli Dixon (23) took the total to 204 for 7 from their 40 overs.
Tom Clarke (16) and Rion Dalugoda (14) also chipped in with double-figure knocks.
That total always looked to be too much of a tall order for the home side and they finished on 177 for 9 at the end of their overs.
Noah Birtwistle finished with a superb bowling figures of 4 for 8 from 8 overs while there were a couple of victims for Jake Riley and Oli Dixon with Adam Clarke taking the other.
