Rain affects CLL programme - but Norden maintain lead

Rain affected every game in the CLL on Saturday butlocal sides Norden and Littleborough were still able to carve out victories.

Werneth scored a respectable 196 for eight off 45 overs against leaders Norden, but the revised target of 154 proved well within Norden’s compass, the visitors losing only three wickets.

Professional Mohammed Zaman Khan hit 48 and Glenn Rigby 46 as Crompton made 164 for eight declared at Littleborough.

Boro were set a revised target of 145 after a heavy shower and they reached that for the loss of three wickets thanks to Callum Rushton’s unbeaten 44 and 43 from Tom Pye.

After making 184 for eight from 45 overs, Adnan Shafiq hitting 43, Oldham restricted Rochdale to 135 for eight as the visitors chased a revised target of 141 off 31 overs. Neil Inkpen maintained his fine form with five for 57.

Royton fought out the day’s only rain-affected draw. Mark Woodward hit 49 in their 164 all out at Middleton, the home side’s stand-in professional Luke Woodcock taking five wickets for 70. Heavy rain meant Middleton's openers never took to the crease.

Saturday scores: Ashton 97-2, revised target (Hodge 41 n.o.), Radcliffe 118 (Yousaf 4-25), Ashton 5pts, Radcliffe 0 pts; Clifton 154-3, rt (Nisar 92), Unsworth 190 (Madsen 80, Nisar 5-58), Clifton 5pts, Unsworth 0 pts; Heywood 150-7 (Wallwork 36 n.o., Cross 32, Purser 30, Jayasinghe 4-54), Monton and Weaste 112-1, rt (Green 56 n.o., Din 37), Heywood 0pts, Monton 4 pts; Littleborough 147-3, rt (Rushton 44 n.o., Pye 43), Crompton 164-8 dec (Z Khan 48, Rigby 46, Tomlinson 3-45, Smit 3-62), Littleborough 5pts, Crompton 0pts; Middleton dnb, Royton 164 (M Woodward 49, Woodcock 5-70), match drawn, 2pts each; Oldham 184-8 (Shafiq 43), Rochdale 135-8, rt (Inkpen 5-57), Oldham 4pts, Rochdale 1 pt; Walsden 99-3, rt, Milnrow 137 (Dryden 53, Priyadarshana 5-40), Walsden 5pts, Milnrow 0 pts; Werneth 196-8 (J Taylor 62 n.o., Rogerson 38, Arthur 3-65), Norden 154-3, rt (Symes 45, Brierley 35 n.o.), Werneth 0pts, Norden 4 pts.

Sunday scores: Crompton 124-3 (Z Khan 72), Oldham 123 (Whittle 30, Si Wright 5-29); Milnrow 179 (Skuse 44, Jennings 39), Middleton 182-9 (Core 48); Monton and Weaste 146-0 (Green 73 n.o., Din 62 n.o.), Ashton 140 (Gaskin 35, Jayasinghe 4-28, Scott 3-42); Norden 238-3 (Symes 78, Malik 49, Firth 49), Walsden 237-9 (Rawlinson 105, D Fitton 3-37, Makin 3-67); Radcliffe 192-7 (Tariq 87, Berry 60, Slawson 4-31, Purser 3-37), Heywood 143 (Pawson 44, Tariq 5-27, Smalley 4-43); Rochdale 178-9 (Smith 54, Smit 5-64), Littleborough 138 (Smit 43); Royton 204 (Procter 69, J Punchard 51, Alex Rodzoch 5-31), Clifton 187 (Alex Rodzoch 77); Unsworth 177-8 (Madsen 59, Long 41, Gregorio 35, Burston 3-55, Durose 3-67), Werneth 241 (Hugo 85, Rogerson 41 n.o., Richards 3-48).