Wood Cup win
THE JW Lees Bitter Wood Cup returned to Rochdale after a 17 year absence following their 53 run victory over Crompton at Middleton on Sunday.
The original game had been abandoned at the half way stage a fortnight earlier after Dale had posted 183 and both teams had claimed to have the upper hand.
And the replay followed a similar pattern, Rochdale again batting first, this time closing on 177 for 8, but this time the weather allowed them to confirm their superiority as they bowled Cromton out for 124.
Their star, and man of the match, was professional Henry Cooper, who turned in an heroic all round performance, making 75 with bat and then taking 3 for 22 in Crompton’s innings.
Batting at 3, Cooper entered the fray as early as the second ball of the day after Adam Good had bowled Jack Avery with a beauty and although13 runs were then plundered from that first over, watchfulness became the keyword as Good and Aqib Zulfiqar bowled consistently well to intelligently set fields.
Cooper’s partner, Ben Chapman was force to eschew his normal belligerent style, but after the two had put on 34 careful runs Chapman was unable to resist driving at widish one from Zulfiqar and was well taken, over his head by Stephen Wright at slip.
And that partnership set the tone on the rest of Dale’s innings.
Andy Dawson and Michael Harling both provided Cooper with admirable support, but the slowish pitch and soft outfield, combined with Crompton’s continuing tight lines meant the Rochdale were never able to break free.
However, at 130 for 3 with ten overs left a score of around 200 seemed likely, but to Crompton’s credit they kept a lid on matters and the innings fizzled out somewhat.
Dale’s followers became anxious fearing that they had not got enough, but the true evaluation of a total can only be made when both teams have batted, and it quickly became apparent that Crompton were not going to find it easy.
Mo Bux accounted for Sam Rigby, caught by wicket keeper James O’Neill standing up, in the first over, and then went on to complete his ten over stint for only 19 runs.
Harling, meanwhile got rid of veteran John Punchard, who became O’Neill’s second victim and now Rochdale had to contend with Crompton’s three perceived potential matchwinners; Denis Louis, professional Anwar Rehman and captain Simon Wright.
West Indian Louis quickly revealed his threat and timed the ball as well as anyone, but after he had made 23 in fairly quick time he played around a full one from Harling and was trapped in front.
Soon after, Ollie Makin replaced Harling and it was he who took the vital wicket of Rehman with a delightful piece of bowling. Rehman was tempted into driving at one tossed up outside his off stump, was beaten by the turn
‘I’m delighted for them. It’s great for our committee and fans who deserve to enjoy this’
and the inside edge of the bat diverted the ball onto the stumps.
For a while the Wright brothers looked capable of resurrecting Crompton’s challenge, but when Making struck again, in