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Oldham Evening Chronicle

Royton unable to build on early strike

ROYTON’S lack of a cutting edge proved their downfall as they slumped to a six-wicket defeat at the hands of Lake Garage CLL title hopefuls Heywood at the Paddock yesterday.
Having made 184, Royton should have been in a position to apply a modicum of pressure on the Heywood batting particular after the cheap removal of Bobby Cross.
But the continued absence of spearhead Dion Taljard is proving a major hindrance and Heywood were able to cruise to a six-wicket win thanks to half-centuries from Aussie Royce Blight and wicketkeeper John Shaw.
After taking first guard in sweltering conditions, Royton slumped to 36 for three in the face of fine bowling from professional Stephen John and Andy Taylor.
But a fourth-wicket partnership of 73 from paid man Neil Broom and overseas amateur Anthony Percy gave Royton a foothold in the game.
Had this pair been able to stay together a little longer, Royton would probably have passed the 200 mark, but both went for 37 and Heywood were able to turn the screw, restricting the home side to a respectable, but manageable score.
Royton knew they needed early wickets and they struck gold with the score on 16, Martin Bell squeezing one past the prolific Cross’s defence and hitting the stumps.
Josh Webb and Blight repaired the damage by taking the Heywood total to 50 before Webb was bowled by Broom, edging the ball on to his wickets despite trying to get his bat out of the way of a rising delivery.
Heywood needed their middle order to deliver the goods and they had the perfect combination in Blight and Shaw, who had made a half-century in the previous day’s Inter-League Club Challenge Trophy semi-final victory over Rochdale.
Initially, Blight was the more fluent of the pair, playing some delightful strokes off his pads, but driving well when the ball was pitched up.
He reached his 50 in good style before snicking Mark Woodward to Gareth Lees, who took a smart catch behind the sticks.
Heywood had reached 121 and were firmly in sight of victory, but Royton knew a couple of quick wickets would give them hope.
It was not to be as Shaw and new batsman John dominated the bowling.
Boundaries came with regularity and although John was bowled by Royton’s new skipper Matthew Ward for 25, Heywood were almost over the finishing line.
If they are to avoid similar defeats in the next few weeks, Royton must find a way of exerting more pressure on opposition batsmen. Heywood, like Rochdale before them, had it far too easy yesterday.

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