Green clinch title the way of champions

IN a game which the Green needed a minimum of six points to claim the league title it would have been easy to declare the ground unfit and claim seven points for an abandonment and celebrate the championship.

But no, they roped off the wettest part of the ground won the toss and elected to bat, their opponents Broadbottom, last year’s champions, also wanted to go out on a high so the spectators were looking forward to the prospect of a good game.

The Green opened their innings with Josh Hampson and Craig Young against Steve Croft and Ollie Cummings. The pair looked in total control moving along nicely at four an over when, in the 15th over, a change of bowling resulted in the demise of Young when he chased a wide delivery from Seb Croft and was caught behind, 55-1.

The new batsmen, Peter Richards started his innings very watchful, aware that it was imperative that the Green reach 200 for maximum batting points.

In partnership with Hampson, who at this time was looking in good nick, they took the score past 100 when unfortunately another change of bowling proved to be his undoing as he fell to Chris CheethamRoberts for 44, 105-2.

Next to the crease was youngster Jack Needham and in tandem with Richards he took the score to 138 before he fell LBW to Cheetham-Roberts.

The next 12 overs changed the game completely as new batsmen Ben Littler joined Richards and the pair took the game away from Broadbottom with some audacious batting as the pair added 129 in 12 overs including 12 maximums.

Littler eventually fell for a 39 ball 70 with the score on 267. Richards was next to go, falling just three short of what would have been a well deserved century, 280-5. The final two overs yielded 14 further runs to leave the Green on 294-4 after their allotted overs. Pick of the Broady bowlers was Cheetham-Roberts with 5-92 from 12 overs.

The Broady reply with openers Aaron Walsh and Ryan Welsh got off to a flying start against the Greens opening attack of Ryan Stringer and Josh Unsworth but the introduction of Lee Hallas into the attack changed the game back into the Greens favour as he first removed Aaron Walsh for 20, 41-1, followed shortly after by Ryan Welsh for 25, 46-2 ,which gave the Green the final bonus point thus sealing the championship.

Next to the crease was John Dodd and Cheetham-Roberts and the pair took the score to 61 when Hallas was again the successful bowler removing Dodd for 11, 61-3.

Even with the title in the bag the Green stuck to the task of winning the game outright and when Jordan Henderson removed Cheetham-Roberts for 41 and Dom Perrin fell to Mark Richards for 11 with the score on 112-5, a few lusty blows from Jay Riley and Ollie Cummings took their total to 160 all out and gave the Green the maximum 20 points to claim the title by 17 points.

Jordan Henderson closed on 5-24 to complete an excellent season for not only the 1st Xl as the 2nds completed a league and cup double.