An anxious wait
ROCHDALE are likely to have to endure an agonising wait this weekend before they know if they have avoided slipping through the trap door of relegation and dropping into the Lancashire League’s second division.
They entertain Norden at Redbrook this afternoon but even victory will not decide matters since Church, the other team in danger of occupying the last drop spot, don’t play until tomorrow.
As things stand, Dale are two points better off than their relegation rivals, but with a maximum twelve points available for victory and with batting and bowling bonus points available in defeat, anything can yet happen. Church visit Walsden.
If Dale do go down, it will be on merit. They haven’t won a game since 7th July, during which time miserable batting performances have followed each other with predictable and depressing monotony.
Their latest reverse came at Darwen last Sunday, on this occasion the irony being that they managed to muster 151 on the very day that their attack, as penetrative as any in the league, was taken for 198, the third highest total they have conceded this season.
Proceedings seemed to be following a regular pattern in the early stages. The game had been reduced to 38 overs per side due to a delayed start and Darwen had collapsed to 62 for 6.
It was at point Darwen’s deputy professional Glen Batticciotto, a Queenslander, was joined by Kamran Anwar.
These two played splendidly in extricating their team from the mire. Dale had no answer to their
counter attack and they put on 81 for the seventh wicket. Nor was there any respite for the visitors when Anwar departed, and another half century partnership between Batticciotto and Chris Wade took Darwen to the cusp of 200 at the close of their innings.
Dale may justifiably complain that, as Anwar entered the fray an inexcusable misreading of the amended bowling restrictions by the umpires meant that Steve Oddy was forced out of the attack before his allocation was up.
Despite their recent form Dale made a decent fist of chasing this daunting total at first. Declan Wilkinson and Will Bosisto overcame the early loss of Andy Dawson to put on 83 for the second wicket.
But with the score on 98 Wilkinson gave a sharp but accepted return catch to John Cordingley, 3 short of his half century and six runs later Dave Bowden who had been neutralised in his first spell from the pavilion end induced an indiscreet cut from Bosisto, who played on, and the procession began.
Five more wickets fell for 7 runs, Bowden, once again Dale’s nemesis, taking four of them.
But then at last came some late order fight. Veterans Robin Jackson and Steve Oddy put on 39 for the ninth wicket and in doing so earned Dale a vital batting point which may yet prove crucial.
Rochdale will need more of this spirit today if they are to overcome Norden and allow their supporters to rest easy. If not, all eyes will turn towards Walsden tomorrow.
Elsewhere in Division One, Ramsbottom were victorious away from home as they picked up a six wicket win on the Duckworth/Lewis method against Todmorden at Centre Vale.
Todmorden’s innings was reduced to 41 overs as they won the toss and decided to bat, with the side finishing on 129-6 after a top score of 49 not out from Chris Schofield.
Ramsbottom were set a reduced target of 114 in 28 overs, with Tom Parton (42), Alex Olpin (32) and professional Daryn Smit (24 not out) all contributing as they ended on 114-4 and reached the target