Stags clinch win on day for batsmen

FOR THOSE who like big hitting Saturday’s match between Norden and Milnrow was a joy to watch.

Not so sure those who prefer to watch bowlers in action enjoyed what they saw as Stags piled up 320 for seven and Milnrow replied with an all out 223.

Leaders of the big bash were Norden professional Jake Sandham who smacked eight sixes, and Milnrow’s Jack Wynn who hammered 10 sixes.

To be honest, Milnrow’s hopes vanished when Sandham started his onslaught after a quiet start. Their fielding became sloppy and one or two heads looked to drop.

But to their credit the young visitors had a good go in their reply although such a massive target always looked beyond them.

Stags won the toss and decided on having a bat.

They had 41 on the board when Milnrow got their first chance of a breakthrough, albeit a difficult one, a snick just eluding the hand of a diving slips fielder.

Milnrow did get a break on 71 when Harvey Fitton hooked into the hands of Khan.

Josh Tolley reached his half century with a four through the covers, but he lost another batting partner when Dominic Humphreys was beaten by Goddard’s spin.

Tolley and Lee Crabtree were both caught behind by Keelan Shipley, and Norden were 141 for four.

But the fun then started for those lovers of big bash.

Greg Butterworth played a solid knock of 41, while Sandham made hay in the sunshine.

At one stage he re-lost balls which had just been found outside the ground or in gardens.

Butterworth was out with 230 up on the board, and Steve Pimm went without addition, victim of a horrible run out.

The runs continued to flow from Sandham.

Dan Buckley over-reached to a delivery from Charlie Lloyd-Jones and was stumped which left Ross Collin to see out the remaining overs with the bludgeoning Sandham who finished on 120 not out.

Milnrow’s reply was on 17 when Shipley was bowled by Malik, and on the same total Niel Hornbuckle fell to a diving forward low return catch by Sandham.

The innings subsided to 77 for five, but it was brightened up no end by Wynn who took advantage of the bowling.

Young Joe Humphreys was hit for three consecutive sixes at the start of his second over, but he came back with a single and then two dot balls.

Josh Tolley conceded seven off his first over, then 28 off his second.

Wynn was eventually stumped by Crabtree, before a bright 26 from Tom Fitton and an unbeaten 17 from Khan.

It was little wonder some of the bowlers in the match didn’t really want to peruse their figures in the scorebook. Norden J Tolley c Shipley b Hornbuckle .......... 69 H Fitton c Khan b Goddard ................. 19 D Humphreys b Goddard ........................ 9 J Sandham not out ................................ 120 L Crabtree c Shipley b Wynn ............... 13 G Butterworth c Brown b H’buckle .. 41 S Pimm run out ............................................. 0 D Buckley st Shipley b L-Jones .............. 8 R Collin not out ............................................. 8 Extras .............................................................. 33 Total (for 7 wkts) ...................................... 320 Bowling: Wynn 10-0-90-1; Brown 5-133-0; Hornbuckle 15-0-70-2; Goddard 13-1-38-2; C Lloyd-Jones 7-0-74-1. Milnrow N Hornbuckle c and b Sandham ....... 14 K Shipley b Malik .......................................... 0 M Goddard c Butter’th b D Buckley .. 28 H Royds c Sandham b Malik ................. 19 J Wynn st Crabtree b Butterworth ..... 79 A Brown b Malik ........................................... 0 J Glover b D Humphreys .......................... 8 C Lloyd-Jones b D Humphreys .............. 0 T Fitton b Sandham ................................. 26 F Khan not out ........................................... 17 A Lloyd-Jones ................................................ 5 Extras .............................................................. 27 Total .............................................................. 223 Bowling: Sandham 6-0-50-2; Malik 142-37-3; Buckley 7-1-26-1; J Humphreys 2-0-32-0; Tolley 2-0-35-0; Butterworth 6.1-1-25-2; D Humphreys 4-0-15-2