Cricket: Monkeys set up Thornham showdown

Heywood Cricket Club

Heywood Monkeys comfortably saw off Bamford Bulldogs to set up a chance of qualification from their Archway T20 Group when they take on Thornham Thunder on Friday 23 June at 6pm.

The Monkeys restricted the home side to 112-5 from their 20 overs, after having them 19-4 at one stage, then comfortably chased down their target for the loss of just three wickets with five overs to spare.

Now they must beat Thornham in their final Group game to go through to the next round.

Bamford were always playing catch-up after Andy Dawson got rid of Samuel Felix and Adil Mustafa in the second over of the game.

When former Heywood player Lee Grogan went caught behind to a short ball by Simon Dawson, and Mick Renwick was run out, the home side were in desperate trouble.

Ryan Senior was joined by Jack Hendy and they performed an admirable rescue act with a stand of 64 before Hendy became the second run-out victim of the innings.

The impressive Senior and Gary Deboeck carried on the good work and it was fitting that the former should reach his half-century with the last ball of the innings.

A total of 112 did not look enough, particularly when Bobby Cross and Andy Kerr got Heywood off to a flying start with an opening stand of 40 in little more than four overs.

Cross went for 19, pulling a short ball from Melbourne Austin straight to the mid-wicket fielder, but Travis Townsend helped Kerr put on a further 39 until the Heywood professional was bowled by Ahmed for 12.

Kerr also fell for a fine 46 with the score on 92, before Andy Dawson joined skipper Danny Pawson to see Heywood over the line in fading light.

Bamford Bulldogs

S Felix c R Cross b A Dawson 0
A Mustafa c and b A Dawson 6
R Senior not out 52
L Grogan c R Cross b S Dawson 2
M Renwick run out 3
J Hendy run out 31
G Deboeck not out 10
Extras 8
Total (for 5 wkts, 20 overs) 112
Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-6, 3-14, 4-19, 5-83
Bowling: J Morley 4-1-12-0, S Dawson 4-0-26-1, A Dawson 4-0-20-2, K Cross 4-0-25-0, D Pawson 4-0-25-0

Heywood Monkeys

R Cross c Ahmed b Austin 19
A Kerr b Senior 46
T Townsend b Ahmed 12
D Pawson not out 8
A Dawson not out 14
Extras 17
Total (for 3 wkts, 15 overs) 116
Fall of wickets: 1-40, 2-79, 3-92
Bowling: M Austin 4-0-22-1, A Mustafa 3-0-28-0, A Ahmed 4-0-42-1, J Hendy 2-0-8-0, R Senior 2-0-15-1