Cricket: Heywood teams for the weekend

Heywood Cricket Club, The Crimble

Heywood’s senior side will have a stand-in professional on display for their crucial final match of the season at Glodwick on Saturday 14 September at noon, with Faisal Iqbal having returned home to Pakistan, the club have moved swiftly to secure the services of Rumesh Buddika, a 28-year-old Sri Lankan left-handed batsman who bowls off-spin.

Rumesh Buddika has been playing for Flitwick CC in Bedford, scoring 1,000 runs and taking 60 wickets this season, and in 2017 he was captain of the Sri Lankan ‘A’ team.

Heywood need a maximum points victory at Glodwick to be certain of securing a place in the newly-created Premier 2 division of the Greater Manchester League for next season, but it’s also a big day for Glodwick, who are bidding for automatic promotion to the Premier Division.

The top two teams after Saturday’s matches will move up to the top flight. Moorside have 76 points, then Flowery Field, Glodwick and Denton West have 71.

Flowery Field are at home to Moorside and Denton West go to Austerlands.

Meanwhile, Glossop are fifth on 63 and Heywood sixth on 61. The sixth-placed team with the best points total from Division 1A or Division 1B will take the final Premier 2 place for 2019.

However, if Heywood can jump above Glossop and finish fifth they will secure their Premier 2 place automatically. Glossop have a testing away fixture, too, at Uppermill.

Meanwhile, Heywood’s second team are at home to Stand on Saturday (12 30pm), and the third team wrap up their season with a re-arranged trip to Astley Bridge on Sunday (1pm).

• Heywood 1st X1 (v Glodwick, away, Saturday, noon): S Burrill (capt), W Hunt, R Cross, J Kettleborough, J Morley, A Dawson, S Asildada, M Witts, S Evans, C Booth, R Buddika (pro).
• Heywood 2nd X1 (v Stand, home, Saturday, 12 30pm): C Kaye (capt), J Kaye, R Smethurst, J O’Neill, J Mills, O Thomas, D Hilton, Z Baig, W Taylor, T Pagett, M Dearden. Reserve: C McNally.
• Heywood 3rd X1 (v Astley Bridge, away, Sunday, 1pm): R Smethurst (capt), M Hood, M Dearden, J O’Neill, C McNally, J Kaye, T Pagett, W Taylor, E Clarkson, D Hilton, C Jackson. Reserve: A Russell.