Young guns fire Boro to victory
AS Dad’s Army were taking care of Glodwick seconds in the Burton Cup, Clinton’s kids won in remarkable fashion away at Glodwick to progress to the quarter finals of the Wood Cup
It was a day that will never be forgotten for two teenagers 19-year old Ryan Miskella and 16-year-old debutant Joe Kershaw, both products of the Littleborough’s youth system.
Ryan Miskella was the mainstay of the innings with his maiden first team half century, top scoring in the match with 73 off 82 balls
It included 3 sixes as he and pro Burl put on 89 for the third wicket before young Joe Kershaw smashed 37 off just 24 balls with 5 fours and one towering 6 as he and another 16-year-old debutant Lewis Eadsforth put on 38 for the ninth wicket to complete a remarkable win for this young Littleborough side.
Earlier in the day Glodwick won the toss and strangely chose to bat especially with the chance of rain predicted.
They got off to a desperate start as Knight bowled Shaghir with the first ball of the innings.
This soon became 22-2 as Knight caught Broadhead at short extra cover off the bowling off Miskella.
Burl and another teenager Bentley then replaced the openers as the home professional Rafique and Leonhardt looked to rebuild the home team’s innings as they reached 63/2 off 20 overs before the whole ground heard Rafique snick the ball behind off Bentley but the umpire gave not out but Bentley struck back as he bowled Leonhardt for 17.
At halfway Glodwick were 93/3 and the pro had another life after a drop by Hussain off Burl.
Enter Joe Kershaw for the first part of his superman act as he enticed the home pro to play on for 67 and then clean bowled keeper Symonds.
He finished with fantastic figures of 2-12 off his 5 overs as the home side reached 157/6. Skipper Perren shuffled his young attack but his opposing number Whitehead held the innings together with a solid 56 as the last wicket fell on 224 off the penultimate ball of the innings.
Knight finished with 2/35 and Burl 3/56. Littleborough’s reply got off to a steady start before Pye was adjuged LBW for 7 to leave the Boro on 19/1. This brought Burl to the wicket to join Perren as the pair took the score to 49 before Perren got a faint nick off Hasan and was caught behind for 23.
Out strode Miskella to join his professional in what turned out to be a fantastic platform for the later heroics of Kershaw.
The pair looked in no trouble at all as they milked the bowling and punished anything loose and took the score to 101 for 2 to bring up their 50 partnership at the halfway stage.
They continued to milk the bowling and were rotating the strike perfectly taking the score to 138 as Glodwick looked as though they had started to run out of ideas.
Whitehead turned to Mirza and in his first over removed the dangerous Burl with a half tracker that should have been hit into Oldham town centre. Hasan then removed Knight, Nash and Hussain in quick fashion as Miskella was watching from the other end after effortlessly reaching his maiden 50 in an innings that was becoming a joy to watch. He was then joined by Jones, who at 21 is somewhat of a veteran in this young side.
The run rate was still under 6 and if Miskella could stay there then the Boro were in with a chance.
Sensing there was not much left in the tent he decided to cut loose smashing Hasan for consecutive sixes before smashing Mirza for the biggest 6 off the day in the following over before going for one shot too many and was caught by the home pro for a magnificent 73 with the score on 176.
Fifty were needed off 10 with 3 wickets left and this became 38 needed with just two wickets when Jones was out lbw offering no shot to Rafique.
This brought youngsters Kershaw and Eadsforth together at the crease. Kershaw hit one four, then he hit another four and another as suddenly the visitors sensed an unlikely victory.
The pair continued to run well between wickets. Kershaw then smashed the home pro for four more before smashing him over the rope for a maximum.
The visitors now just needed 9 to win as opener Lenhardt was brought into the attack.
Kershaw edged the first ball down to the third man boundary before dancing down the wicket to smash the third ball over extra cover for the shot of the day.
By this time the whole Boro side were on their feet to watch Kershaw quite fittingly hit the winning single for what can only be described as a remarkable victory.
Perren’s young homegrown, unpaid team now march into the quarter finals knowing that they are capable of winning a game from any position after today’s performance.