Young guns fire
TWO young, local unpaid lads had a day to remember on Sunday – both products of Littleborough’s youth system.
It was a pleasure to watch as one bagged himself a career best eightwicket haul and the other one fell just one agonising run short of a fantastic maiden first team century
First Zac Perren ended up on 99 not out – please don’t ask me how as it’s unprintable.
He was magnificent. Chanceless. He showed excellent technique and concentration, 165 balls seven boundaries.
He stepped up to the plate after Perren senior and Travis Townsend failed for the first time this season.
It was a pleasure to watch.
He put on 51 with Ryan Miskella (24) for the third wicket and 101 with Thomas Pye (43) for the fourth as the innings closed on 230/8.
Zac needed six off the last three balls of the innings for a well deserved 100 – he hit the first two for two each and then watched in horror as he made his ground for the the third two only to turn round and watch Hamza fall over and not make his ground when he could still have made it even after falling over! Let’s just say the air was blue around many parts of Hare Hill.
Littleborough had won the toss at a bright and windy Hare Hill and it was a surprise to see an inform Townsend fall for a duck to leave the home side on 2-0.
Next to fall was Perren senior, Clinton, after he missed a straight one and the home side were in a spot of bother at 32/2.
Perren junior and Miskella looked in no trouble at all against a pop gun attack and it came as a surprise when Miskella lost concentration and played on with the score on 83.
Out marched Pye, desperate for a bat after watching Littleborough’s powerful top order dominate the early parts of the season and he took full advantage as he and the majestic Zac Perren helped themselves to a match-winning 101 partnership.
Pye eventually fell for a well constructed 43.
The lower order all chipped in as the innings closed on 230/8
A special mention goes to sub pro Ryan Ayres who bowled admirably and finished with 3/61 off 15 but got very little support from a hapless looking Rawtenstall.
Before I go on to describe Rawtensall’s ‘reply’ let me describe their behaviour on Sunday.
They turned up with no scorer, they never offered to pay our scorer for doing their job for them, they fielded appallingly, their last batsman came out to bat after forgetting to put his pads on and finally the only person who stayed for a drink after the game was the sub pro. Pathetic all round. Original Lancashire League teams now occupy nine out of the bottom 10 in the second division.
Anyway, Rawtenstall’s reply.
And this is where my crown slips as the best bowler in my house.
Two weeks ago I reported that Miskella and Lewis Willman had not hit their straps so far this season.
Reply: Last week Willman 7-for, this week Miskella 8-for.
They both bowled tight early on after switching from their normal ends due to a strong breeze and the change worked a treat.
But it was Miskella’s day as he deservedly surpassed the nation’s number one reporter’s best
ever figures and finished with remarkable figures of 8/34 (five clean bowled).
Take a bow son, just like Lewis Willman last week
First to fall was Rehman smartly stumped by stand in keeper Pye off Miskella 34/1
Hussain struggled with wides and no balls but managed to snaffle his namesake, caught at the wicket caught Pye 35/ 2.
Miskella then started to motor though the middle order picking up the next seven wickets to fall, five clean bowled, two lbw’s and five of the batsman failing to score, as four wickets fell with the score on 83
Hamza picked up the final wicket when padless Gibbons hit a full toss to Chew at mid off.
Miskella returned figures of 8/34 off 15 overs.
That makes it five wins out of five for the Boro boys as they go two points clear of unbeaten Crompton at the top, with all other teams in the league already having lost at least two games and that’s with the season only five games old.
Personally, I feel Crompton and Littleborough will both finish at least 40 points clear of third this season, in which order will probably come down to the outcome of both head to head clashes, the first one of which is at Hare Hill on Sunday.
Get yourself down there as it’s sure to be a cracker.