Cricket: Run chase woes for Heywood Seconds

Heywood Cricket Club, The Crimble

Following last week’s deserved victory, Heywood’s Second XI were in a confident mood as they entertained Flowery Field at Crimble on Saturday (31 August) despite missing captain Steve Evans but welcoming back regulars Dom Fawcett, Jacob Kaye, Lee Grogan and Matt Hood.

Heavy rain an hour before the scheduled start took its toll on the square and a delayed start resulted in a 28-overs-per-side game with Flowery Field batting first.

Tight bowling from the Heywood attack led by Zeeshan Baig 1-16 and Grogan 2-21 were the stand-out figures in a solid performance that saw the visitors restricted to 110-5.

But at the interval few could have foreseen the events of the next two hours as the home side set about chasing a “gettable” target.

The possibility of a Heywood victory was soon all forgotten as the home side collapsed to 3-3 losing Fawcett, Grogan and Hood in quick succession.

In what has to be seen as the team’s worst batting performance of the season only 14-year-old Matt Dearden reached double figures.

The youngster showed the necessary application that some of the senior players could have applied in facing 52 balls to eventually finish on 10 not out.

The Heywood side eventually finished on 54-8 in their allocated overs, slumping to a disappointing defeat in a game that appeared very winnable at tea.

Flowery Field

• S Dolan b Baig 8
• A Johnson not out 56
• A Lyon b C Kaye 0
• D Dickin c Fawcett b Grogan 18
• A Barber b Fawcett 9
• D Williams st Booth b Grogan 14
• J Lyon not out 1
• Extras 4
• Total (for 5 wkts, 28 overs) 110
• Fall of wickets: 29-1, 30-2, 63-3, 84-4, 105-5
• Bowling: Z Baig 7-1-16-1, T Pagett 4-0-16-0, C Kaye 9-0-36-1, L Grogan 4-0-21-2, D Fawcett 4-0-21-1

Heywood

• M Hood run out 0
• D Fawcett c Lyon b Barber 2
• L Grogan b Woods 0
• J Kaye lbw b Williams 8
• C Booth c Lyon b Barber 8
• M Dearden not out 10
• T Pagett c Grimbaldeston b Lyon 2
• D Hilton lbw b Lyon 0
• C Kaye c Williams b Lyon 9
• T England not out 0
• Extras 15
• Total (for 8 wkts, 28 overs) 54
• Fall of wickets: 3-1, 3-2, 3-3, 24-4, 29-5, 32-6, 32-7, 49-8
• Bowling: S Woods 5-3-8-1, A Barber 7-3-8-2, D Williams 5-2-13-1, J Lyon 6-3-12-3, G Grimbaldeston 5-1-10-0

The Seconds travel to Glodwick on Saturday 7 September with the Oldham team in a mini-slump of their own, having lost three of their last four fixtures.