Norden too good for Middleton

Middleton’s poor run continued at Towncroft on Sunday (5 September 2010) against the newly crowned champions of the Central Lancashire League, Norden. This though was a better performance than in recent weeks.

Steve Davey again won the toss and elected to bat and Scott Stanworth playing is last game of the season for Middleton due to Lancashire commitments opened the innings with deputy professional Neil Edwards but in the 7th over with the score on 27, Edwards was caught by Paul Morrell off Norden Professional Michael Price for 10.

The score had moved on to 51 when Stanworth was well taken by Oliver Makin off his own bowling for 23. Stanworth finishing an agonising 25 runs short of a 1,000 for the season. 51 for 2 soon became 64 for 4 as George Walker was bowled by Ste Wild for 13 and Martin Roberts became Makin's second wicket when he was bowled for 1.

Middleton's middle order then showed some spirit, something which as not showed so often this season as Danny Core joined Grant Jones to compile a stand of 44 before Core was LBW to Makin for 17.

Davey having dropped his self down the order due to a run of poor form came to the middle with Jones and produced a display of sensible shot selection and running to take the score to 174 before Makin took his 4th wicket when he bowled Davey for a battling 26.

With just 3 overs left Middleton then hit 31 more runs with Mark Buckley playing a swashbuckling role of an unbeaten 18 off only 10 balls and Grant Jones who seems to have found his form as the season draws to an end finished unbeaten on a magnificent 75 off just 83 balls with 3 towering sixes (One that landed in the practice nets just to the side of the score box and another halfway across the car park) and 6 fours.

Middleton needed early wickets, something they didnt get as Price and fellow opener Alex Tattersall after a steady start of 16/0 off 6 overs began to open up with Price being the main aggressor as together they put on a stand of 115 in just 25 overs to take the game away from Middleton before Tattersall was bowled by Edwards for 37.

Overseas amateur Josh Poole joined Price and they took the score to 152 before Edwards picked up his 2nd wicket when he bowled Price for a superb 93 off 89 balls with 15 fours and 1 six.

With the addition of only 15 more runs Edwards picked up another 2 wickets when he had Poole LBW for 28 and Morrell bowled for 1. 4 runs later Core had Makin caught by Edwards for 4 and with the score on 181 he then had Brierley caught by Reece Jones for 5.

Middleton sniffed a chance of comeback but alas that was not to be as Harvey Fitton despite having a couple of dodgy moments with LBW shouts survived on an unbeaten 17 and Greg Tattersall finished unbeaten on 9 to seal the points for Norden and leaving Middleton only one game left away at Oldham next Sunday to end their awful run.