Cricket: Middleton fall to Unsworth just before Final's Day

A superb knock by Unsworth opening batter Chris Long led to Middleton's downfall in the Quarter Final of the J.W. Lees Twenty20 Cup.

Long will take the plaudits for his 78 off 56 deliveries, but he was ably supported by John Wiggans (45 off 25 deliveries) and Chris Williams (45 not out off 27 deliveries), as the Unsworth side took the Middleton attack to all parts of the ground to finish on 209 for 3 off their 20 overs.

The only Middleton bowler to come out with credible figures was Mo Shahid, who bowled his 4 overs for 34 runs and took 2 wickets in the process.

Knowing that it was going to be a difficult chase, Middleton threw caution to the wind and started playing shots from ball one, and under some hostile bowling from Chris Williams and Jack O'Brien they were up with the run rate for the first five overs before wickets starting falling.

Once Scott Stanworth was caught behind by Ryan Hawke off the bowling of Alex Taylor, Middleton were never really in the hunt for victory, and finished on 119 all out.

Things were made worse as Saq Mahmood was unable to bat due to an injury sustained whilst fielding.

Unsworth
J Wiggns c Holmes b Shahid 45
C Long b Mahmood 78
A Arora, s Stanworth, b Shahid 11
C Williams not out 45
J Mohmammed b Buckley 6
R Hawke not out 0
Extras 24
Total (for 4 wickets) 209
S Mahmood 4-0-46-1
S Holmes 4-0-33-0
M Buckley 4-0-48-1
M Shahid 4-0-34-2
P Bennett 4-0-44-0

Middleton
S Stanworth c Hawke b Taylor 37
G Jones c and b O’Brien 8
G Walker c Mohammed b Richards 12
R Jones c Richards b 21
M Shahid c O’Brien b Taylor 0
P Bennett c Hetherington b Richards 8
M Buckley not out 12
A Copeland b Mohammed 6
T Astley c Wiggins b Hetherington
S Homes b Mohammed 1
S Mahmood retired out 0

Extras 11
Total (all out) 119
C Williams 3-0-18-0
J O’Brien 3-0-24-1
A Taylor 4-0-28-2
L Richards 4-0-22-2
J Mohammed 2.3-0-9-3
S Hetherington 2-0-14-1