Wood Cup joy for Rochdale

Photo: Sophie Ullah

Rochdale Cricket Club team

Rochdale’s passage through to the first round of the JW Lees Wood Cup was as easy as they come when they beat Micklehurst by ten wickets at sun drenched Redbrook on Sunday.

Rochdale restricted the visitors to 108 on a benign, if slow pitch, with only Micklehurst’s Jack Darnborough, whose 38 included a couple of lusty sixes, threatening the to take the game away from home attack.

The contest between Darnborough and Rochdale’s new professional, Will Bosisto, was the key feature of Micklehurst’s innings, but when Darnborough perished to Bosisto’s off spin, to make the score 85 for 5, Micklehurst collapsed without further resistance, the main beneficiary being Derek Faulkner who swept away the tail to return the praiseworthy figures of four for 16.

There were a few alarms at the start of Rochdale's reply, especially when Bosisto twice edged Jake Caudwell through slip. Neither went to hand and the young Australian took control assisted by Jack Avery.

Their century partnership was completed in the 19th over when Bosiso claimed his second 50 of the season, while Avery was thwarted of his half century when, with two required for victory, Kieran Heaton bowled consecutive wides.

Rochdale will now face Milnrow at Redbrook in the next round on 29 May.

Micklehurst 108. (Darnborough 38, Faulkner 4-16).

Rochdale 109-0. (Bosisto 52 n.o., J. Avery 46 n.o.)