First Team -  Werneth Home

Pictures from the day

The team did their mopping up and eventually got the game on, Start 4:00

Oldham captain Stuart Moore won the toss

Percy opened

with Matt Ward, this shot getting Matt off the mark

Percy got off the mark shortly afterwards

and looked solid

before this happened !

Pro Neil Broom came to the wicket after Percy's dismissal

He flicked one off his legs for a single

and looked assured against Moore.

however the pro's wicket brought captain Lee Gibbons to the wicket.  He started slowly

but after having a look for an over decided to crash the ball to the boundary

and again

much to the delight of the increasing crowd

Ward joined in with these runs

Gibbons went one better, hitting this one into the stands for a maximum

Ward kept out the Werneth bowling for a couple more overs

but Gibbons was soon joined by Taljard, who quickly got off the mark down to third man

and swept this one away for a single

and a late cut for 4 runs

Gibbons kept on smashing the ball over the fence

and then just stood admiring it.  Gibbons scored a quick 48 before being dismissed

Taljard was replaced by Woodward

  Gibbons was replaced by Harding, both had a look at the bowling for a couple of balls.

  The headless Woodward followed the skippers lead by smashing the ball into the stands

and again.

  Harding was replaced by Hughes

who got off the mark early on

  Bell came in after Woodward fell, getting off the mark down the ground.

Wicketkeeper lees was the last batsmen to make it to the wicket.

Taljard gave the Werneth batsmen a worry early on

and the chin himself also got in on the act

From the Papers...

Oldham Evening Chronicle - Tuesday 3rd May

IT MAY be early days in the CLL season, but there can be little doubt that Werneth have the potential to be right in the thick of the title race.
Blessed with a top batting line-up and plenty of bowling options, Werneth demonstrated their class with a convincing victory over neighbours Royton at the Paddock on Sunday.
Bearing in mind that Royton have their own, much-improved line-up, the comfort of Werneth's victory in a match reduced to 25 overs clearly sends out a warning to other clubs with high hopes.
Weekend rain left the Paddock square saturated and it is to the Royton groundstaff's great credit that they were able to hastily prepare a wicket normally reserved for the youth teams.
Only 20 yards or so from the pavilion boundary, it gave the game a lopsided look with sixes the norm rather than the exception and spectators being treated to a close inspection of the action.
After winning the toss, Werneth elected to put Royton in to bat and the home side were quickly on the back foot after losing Anthony Percy, bowled by Alan Durose, and Kiwi professional Neil Broom, caught by Darren Shadford off captain Stuart Moore.
But a superb, hard-hitting 48 from skipper Lee Gibbons put Royton back on track. Particularly harsh on Moore, he hit 48 off only 29 balls, crashing four sixes in the process.
Gibbons missed out on a deserved half-century when holing out to Andy Fink on the boundary edge, but Mark Woodward carried on where his skipper left off with a hard-hitting 37 which also contained four maximums.
Woodward was finally caught behind by Heino Kuhn, standing in for Paul Gill, who was not fit to keep wicket but was able to make an effective contribution with the bat later in the match.
Paul Hughes made quick runs at number eight and Royton must have been content with their total of 149 for eight.
At the time, that score looked to be quite competitive, but Darren Shadford quickly displayed its vulnerability.
The scorer of a century the previous week, former Lancashire ace Shadford climbed into the Royton bowling attack of Dion Taljard and Guy Lovell, racing to a whirlwind 42 which put Werneth ahead of the required run rate.
The early loss of Aussie amateur Matthew Harival, caught behind in controversial circumstances, did not deter Shadford, who was subjected to a verbal barrage by Taljard.
Shadford looked to be getting the better of the war of words until Taljard switched ends and bowled him to spark an exuberant celebration.
By this stage, Werneth had a firm grip on the game which they strengthened through professional Kuhn and Durose.
When Kuhn became Taljard's third victim after making 31, Durose took charge, ably supported by Gill.
Having bowled well for his two for 71, Durose was completing a fine match, his unbeaten 42 and Gill's 17 clinching a comfortable win for the visitors.
It may be early in the season, but Werneth clearly have the ammunition to go far.
And Royton, too, have enough about them to achieve a top-six finish, particularly once overseas amateur Percy and professional Broom get the chance to show their batting prowess on firmer wickets.

 

Back To Fixtures