Latest news

A busy five-match Bank Holiday weekend saw the Mount first and second teams progress in both JWL Lancashire League knockout competitions then followed up with encouraging league victories.

On Saturday the first team travelled to East Lancashire in the first round of the Worsley Cup and ran out winners by 131 runs.

Skipper Travis Townsend won the toss and his decision to bat proved decisive as the villagers ran up a score of 344 for 7 from their 50 overs.

Townsend himself top scored with a fine unbeaten 97 while there were good knocks from Max Birtwistle (67), Tom Heaton (64), Dom Ashley (30) and Callum Hunter (27).

That total was always going to be too much for the Blackburn side who were bowled out for 213 in the final over.

Rion Dalugoda led the way with the ball with a fine spell taking 3 for 19 from 8.1 overs while there was three wickets for Tom Heaton, two for professional Jacques Snyman and one for Max Birtwistle.

The firsts have been drawn at home to Division Two leaders Rishton in the second round on Saturday, 23^rd May.

FIRST TEAM SCOREBOARD

Meanwhile, the second team entertained East Lancashire’s seconds at the Log Cabin and qualified for the second round of the Junior Knockout Cup following a 47-run victory.

Mount won the toss and captain Oli Dixon chose to bat and was indebted to opener Nigel Franklin who batted through the innings for 72 not out.

Franklin was supported by Paul Manley (23), son Mitch Franklin (19) and Matty Donnelly (18) as the Greenmount  total  reached 168 all out in 34 overs.

The visitors reply looked to be on course when their third wicket fell with the score on 101 but seven wickets fell for 20 runs as the Mount turned the game on its head.

Matthew Gilmore took the bowling plaudits with 5 for 15 in 5.3 overs  with two apiece for Dexter Crowther and Oli Dixon and one for Ed Cunnington.

The seconds have been rewarded with a trip to Crompton in the second round on Saturday, 23^rd May.

SECOND TEAM SCOREBOARD

It was back to league action on Sunday and the first team enjoyed an encouraging close-run victory at Darwen.

Mount were put in to bat and scored 264 for 5 from their 50 overs with a superb 90 from Jacques Snyman (seven fours and six sixes) and another fine innings of 78 not out from Travis Townsend who, along with Cameron Mapstone (25 not out) enjoyed an unbeaten partnership of 94.

After losing an early wicket, Darwen made a good fist of the reply mainly thanks to professional  Sangeeth Cooray (79) and Scott Friend (44) who put on a stand of 101.

An unbeaten 60 from skipper Reece Davies kept them in the hunt and with two wickets remaining the game went into the final over.

However, needing a six from the final ball of the innings they fell five runs short.

FIRST TEAM SCOREBOARD

The second team crowned a second home game of the weekend with a 95 run victory over Darwen seconds.

Electing to bat first, the highlight of their 251 for 9 innings was a superb 101 from 62 balls from Kieran Edwards who hit six fours and seven sixes.

Noah Birtwistle (36), Rion Dalugoda (26) and Ryan Senior (21) also had useful knocks.

The Darwen innings never seriously looked like overhauling that score and they slumped to 156 all out in the 32^nd over.

Noah Birtwistle took four wickets, Rion Dalugoda three, with two for Harry Nuttall and one from Danny Hornby.

SECOND TEAM SCOREBOARD

On Bank Holiday Monday the third team travelled to Burnley and went down to a 25-run defeat.

Burnley chose to bat and were dismissed for 93 thanks to a great spell of bowling from Noah Birtwistle who took 6 for 12 from 6.5 overs.  Brother Max took 2 for 5 with one wicket apiece for Luca Addleton and Iain Malone.

Any hopes of making it a clean sweep of five victories from five for the weekend were soon dashed as Greenmount’s reply was soon in trouble at 5 for 4.

And despite a stubborn 23 from Iain Malone, the Mount were dismissed for 68 in the 24^th over.

THIRD TEAM SCOREBOARD

It wasn’t quite the Bank Holiday weather we’d have liked but there was plenty of cricket on offer and some great entertainment too.

Let’s have a quick scan of the highlights and what’s in store this week.

CRICKET

Worsley Cup – Saturday success

Both senior teams have progressed to the second round! This is a historic moment for the club as it marks the first time the second eleven has ever advanced in the Junior Cup.

• 1st XI: Skipper Travis Townsend led from the front, smashing an unbeaten 97 from just 57 balls to secure the win over East Lancashire.

• 2nd XI: Veteran Nigel Franklin showed his class, “carrying his bat” (staying in for the entire innings) to finish with a vital 72 not out.

League results: Super Sunday

The Mount picked up its first league wins of the season with two hard-fought victories.

1st XI v Darwen (away)

In a high-scoring thriller we narrowly won by five runs.

• Batting: Jacques Snyman impressed again with a solid 90 while Travis Townsend anchored the innings with a brilliant 78 not out from 76 balls.

• Bowling: As the match reached a tense finish, Travis and Jacques stepped up with the ball, taking three wickets each to seal the win.

2nd XI v Darwen (home)

A dominant performance saw the seconds secure their second win in two days.

• Batting: The highlight was a spectacular century from Kieran Edwards who hit 101 (including seven 6s) from only 62 balls.
• Bowling: The ‘spin twins’ Noah Birtwistle and Rion Dalugoda dismantled the opposition by taking seven wickets betwen them.

Player of the weekend

The Player of the Weekend is captain Travis Townsend for two impactful unbeaten innings along with a decisive bowling spell. Travis is sponsored by Bodytherapy Physiotherapy Clinic in Tottington.

UPCOMING FIXTURES

• Saturday, 9th May: Third XI at home v Haslingden
• Sunday, 10th May: Second XI at home v Littleborough with the 1st XI away in the corresponding fixture.

MEMBERSHIP

Thanks once again to everyone who has renewed for the year ahead. You can still renew online by requesting a link at GCC.marketing@greenmountcricketclub.com

After this week we will be removing any unpaid individuals from the members’ contact list, so if you want to stay informed and continue to enjoy member discounts at the bar, please act now!

SPORT ON TV

• Saturday, 9th May: Liverpool v Chelsea 12.30pm; Manchester City v Brentford 5.30pm
• Sunday, 10th May: West Ham v Arsenal 4.30pm
• Monday, 11th May: Spurs v Leeds 8pm

A POLITE REQUEST TO ALL PARENTS

It’s fantastic to see so many young, aspiring players on the ground, especially on Fridays.

However, we ask parents to please ensure they observe two very simple requests

• No football boots are to be worn on the cricket ground
• It’s vital that children stay off the ‘square’ (the area where match pitches are prepared)

We know everyone loves having the space to run around but significant damage can be caused and hard work undone if these two rules are not followed.

That’s the serious bit over! See you at the weekend.

Best wishes,

Greenmount CC Board of Directors

All three Greenmount senior teams were in action at the weekend and all three suffered narrow defeats – none more disappointing than the first eleven who entertained Todmorden at home.

The Mount dragged defeat from the jaws of victory as – chasing the visitors’ 207 for 8 – they slumped from a promising 168 for 2 to fall three runs short of a win in only the 41st over.

Restricting Todmorden – who finished runners-up in the table last summer – to 207 was no mean feat as Callum Hunter (3 for 58); professional Jacques Snyman (2 for 52) and Amal Dalugoda (2 for 52) took the lion’s share of the wickets with Ishy Patel (1 for 26) getting the remaining one.

All seemed fine in the reply when Snyman again showed his class with a fine knock of 94 while Tom Heaton (45) and Gavin Nichol (28) helped the score along comfortably.

However, with the dismissal of Snyman with the score on 168. the next 37 runs saw eight wickets fall which proved the Mount’s undoing.

On a truly frustrating afternoon, the scant consolation from the defeat is the five bonus points picked up for getting so close in the run chase.

FIRST TEAM SCOREBOARD

Meanwhile, at Centre Vale, the second team were taking on Todmorden’s twos and went down to a 43 run defeat.

Todmorden won the toss, elected to bat and scored 162 for 6 from their 45 overs.

Ewan Malone took two wickets and there was one apiece for Rion Dalugoda; Harry Nuttall and skipper Oli Dixon.

That total never seemed likely to be overhauled despite decent knocks from Jack Hallows (29); Rion Dalugoda (28) and Harry Nuttall (24), with the final wicket falling on 149.

SECOND TEAM SCOREBOARD

The third team kicked-off their 2026 campaign with a home game against a strong Enfield team on Saturday afternoon.

After winning the toss, Enfield chose to bat and put on 147 for 7 from their 40 overs.

Greenmount’s wickets were shared between Dexter Crowther (4 for 37) and Edward Cunnington (3 for 20).

Unluckily, the thirds fell nine runs short of what was required despite some useful knocks throughout the Mount innings with seven players in double figures and Freddie Collier unbeaten on nine when the final wicket – that of the evergreen Wes Young – fell.

THIRD TEAM SCOREBOARD

Two defeats on the first weekend of the 2026 campaign was not the outcome both Greenmount’s first and second elevens were hoping for, but facing strong opponents in their respective higher divisions, there is still room for encouragement over the summer.

The firsts travelled to Burnley on Sunday and, on a wicket that offered nothing for batsmen but plenty for spinners, bowled the home side out for 120 in the 47^th over.

Tormentor-in-chief for the Mount was returning professional Jacques Snyman who finished with fabulous figures of 6 for 32 from 15 overs. Callum Hunter also helped himself to three wickets.

In reply the villagers were soon in trouble on 6 for 3 with Tom Heaton, Snyman and Gavin Nichol back in the shed.

Skipper Travis Townsend followed with the score on 13 before there was something of a recovery as Max Birtwistle (14) and Cameron Mapstone (20) put on 35 before the latter fell with the score on 48.

Despite a stubborn unbeaten 18 from Ishy Patel the Greenmount total fell short at 91 all out in the 43^rd over to go down by 29 runs.

In retrospect, Mount were left to rue 19 extras and a couple of dropped catches that could have swung the game their way but it was encouraging to pick up five bonus points (3 batting, 2 bowling)  from the defeat, and those small margins could be crucial as the side look to establish themselves throughout the summer.

FIRST TEAM SCOREBOARD

Meanwhile, it was a tough afternoon for a young second string side that took on a strong Burnley seconds at the Log Cabin.

Burnley won the toss and elected to bat. It proved to be the correct decision as – in marked contrast to the track at Turf Moor – the Mount wicket was highly conducive to run-scoring.

The visitors racked up 261 for 4 from their 45 overs with the experienced Mathew Roberts hitting 100 from 118 balls with Aarav Neherkar and Ali Syed each scoring 44.

The Greenmount reply relied on the senior statesmen in the team with Matty Donnelly hitting 34; Kieran Edwards 25 and Nigel Franklin 18.

Skipper Oli Dixon’s was the final wicket to fall at 119 as Burnley claimed a 142 run triumph.

SECOND TEAM SCOREBOARD

The Knights signed off a superb 2025/26 domestic season in style last Sunday, clinching the CSA Division 2 One-Day Cup to complete a memorable treble.

Mount’s South African professional Jacques Snyman scored the third most runs in the competition with 379 at an average of 47.37.

It may still feel like winter, but it’s only a month until we have the pleasure of seeing him plying his trade back at Greenmount.

Massive congrats to Jacques on a fantastic season.

Jacques is pictured with his treble trophies with wife Erin and daughter Leyah.

We are pleased to announce a new online approach to our club membership renewal process. This change offers multiple benefits for both the club and its members.

We would once again like to thank Helen Bowker for 28 years of amazing volunteer service as our membership secretary.

We also recognise that for some, moving online may seem a bit daunting; however, please be assured that the system is straightforward and easy to use.

The purpose of this post is to give you a “heads up” on what to expect. We will be sending our individual emails over the next few days to enable you to renew your membership.

Step-by-step guide

The process is very simple but if you need a bit of direction, here is how it works:

• 1 Look for the email: You will receive a communication with Greenmount Cricket Club in bold black type. The call to action will be: Create Password.
• 2 Verify: You will be asked to verify your email address. Once verified, you will reach the “My Account” screen. The second line down will be “My membership renewal”.
• 3 Choose Your Category: There will be three choices: Adult Cricket Player; Social Member or Senior Social Member.
• 4 Payment: Choose your category and follow the standard payment process as you would with any other online transaction.
• 5 Handy Tip: Make sure you read and tick the Code of Conduct section, otherwise you will not be able to proceed.
• 6 Confirmation: You will receive an “Order Summary” screen to confirm, followed by an email containing your order confirmation number
• 7 Activation: Our till system back office will recognize the transaction within 3-5 minutes and ensure your membership is valid until March 31st, 2027.

Points To Note

• Payment Methods: Please DO NOT attempt to pay by bank transfer or cheque as in previous years.
• In-person Assistance: If you require help with the process Vicky will be at the club to assist with sign-ups from 6pm to 8pm on the following dates:

• Monday, 23rd March
• Monday, 30th March
• Monday, 13th April
• Cash payments: If you prefer to pay by cash at the club, you may only do so on the three dates listed above

The Value of Membership

• Cricket players: We do not have any “extra” charges for cricket teas or match fees, which can cost up to £10 per game elsewhere.
• Social Members: While general costs are rising, you will continue to benefit from highly-competitive pricing at our bar. The typical price advantage over non-members is at least £1 per alcoholic drink, which quickly adds up.
• Club Growth: Membership fees allow us to continue growing and providing the best possible facilities to sustain Greenmount CC for the long term.

Important Deadlines and Information

• Lapsed memberships: Current memberships will automatically lapse on 1st April, 2026. If you haven’t renewed by then you will be charged full price at the bar.
• Cricket Deadlines: Playing memberships must be paid in full before the league season commences on April 19th. However, as noted above, higher bar prices will apply starting on 1st April if unpaid.
• Membership Cards: You won’t need a new card. Please keep your current one.
• Incorrect email details: After operating a paper-based system for so long, it is inevitable that some records may be inaccurate. You can help us update our records by emailing: gcc.marketing@greenmountcricketclub.com or speaking with Vicky during our assisted sign-on evenings.

Junior and New Memberships

• Juniors: Junior memberships will be handled separately via the Spond mobile app. We will hold our first outdoor junior training on Friday, 17th April, where we plan to process new sign-ups and renewals.
• New members: New memberships will be processed via an application form available at the club. Once approved an account will be assigned to enable member bar prices.

And Finally…

Any new process will inevitably have teething issues and will likely not be perfect the first time around. Please be patient with us; we can sort anything out as long as we have the right information.

Thank-you for your continued support of Greenmount Cricket Club.

Best wishes,

Greenmount CC Board of Directors

At the time of writing it’s chucking it down sideways, but don’t worry, it’s Spring and there’s promise of some sunshine and warmth in the week ahead!

Here’s a quick run-through of what’s going on at the club.

URSULA SKINNER: FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS

Wednesday, 18^th March

We can confirm that Ursula’s funeral will take place this Wednesday afternoon, 18^th March at 1.30pm at East Lancashire Crematorium (Radcliffe M26 4EU).

Afterwards, the family invites everyone back to the club to share their special memories of Ursula.

CRICKET

Congratulations to our Under-9 Girls – who won their second consecutive indoor match last week! It looks like all that hard training is really paying off.

Indoor training continues throughout the month for all teams and age groups, as previously communicated.

LIVE AT THE LOG CABIN

The Rubber Souls – Friday, 17^th April: 8pm start.

Tickets: £15

If you are a fan of The Beatles, you can’t miss this! Fresh from playing The Cavern Club and a sold-out show at the Epstein Theatre, you can expect a full celebration of the Fab Four’s extensive range.

They’ll be covering everything from the swinging sixties hits of Help! and Revolver through to Sgt Pepper and Abbey Road.

Tickets are selling fast! They can be purchased at Audrey’s counter, from the bar or ordered online for collection via GCC.marketing@Greenmountcricketclub.com

MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL UPDATE

The renewal process will be communicated separately very soon. Senior membership rates are held at:

• Adult Cricket Player: £100
• Social Member: £35
• Over 60 Social Member: £25

Junior member rates remain the same as last year; payment details will be communicated via the Spond app.

SPORTS ON TV

Now that the most exciting Six Nations rugby ever has finished, we are back to the football.

Saturday, 21^st March

• Brighton v Liverpool – 12.30pm
• Everton v Chelsea – 5.30pm
• Leeds v Brentford – 8pm

Sunday, 22^nd March

• Newcastle v Sunderland – 12 noon
• League Cup final: Arsenal v Man City – 4.30pm

Hope to see lots of you at the club over the coming weeks.

Greenmount CC Board of Directors

Following the sad news of the death of Ursula Skinner – wife of club chairman Andy – the following funeral details have been announced.

The service will be held on Wednesday, 18th March at the East Lancashire Crematorium, Cemetery Road, Radcliffe M26 4EU, commencing at 1.30pm.

Afterwards the family invite everyone to share their special memories of Ursula at the Log Cabin, Greenmount Cricket Club.

Congratulations go to Greenmount CC Under-11s after their victory in the fifth annual Bury District Indoor tournament held at the Castle Leisure Centre.

Freddie Earing, Archie Kerr, Ted Manchester, Jack Senior, Seth Duerden and Tom Heap represented the club under the close supervision of lead junior coach Andy Kerr.

The lads were placed in a strong group alongside Elton A, Ramsbottom and Stand.

A huge well done to the team, it was a deserved victory and the first trophy in the cabinet for 2026!

Thanks to Steve for scoring and to the parents for their fantastic support.

Rob Kilvington’s Ashes journey continues to the Sydney Cricket Ground for the final test .

This time Rob met up with true Greenmount CC legend, professional and great friend Mark Taylor who was Mount paid man in 1988.

Rob is pictured wearing a special pink Greenmount CC T20 shirt, kindly donated by Ian Senior, to support Jane McGrath Day.

The Jane McGrath Foundation was founded by former Aussie legend Glenn McGrath and his late wife to support breast cancer nurses in rural and regional Australia.

Mark has signed the shirt which will be framed and auctioned, all proceeds going to Bury Hospice.

Enjoy the rest of your holiday Rob and go well Tubs!