Pro no show concerning for the Boro
AT 2pm on Sunday
28th April the 2024 season finally got under way after what felt like the longest winter ever.
Hare Hill was looking fantastic as Littleborough batted first. New skipper Ryan Miskella, having lost the toss, was asked to bat by his opposite number Lewis Wright in a 42-over contest on a cold Littleborough afternoon.
Sadly for the home side the result was the same as the first game of last season – no points for the host and 12 points for the visitors.
This was a rusty performance to say the least from the home side but their cause was not helped by Enfield winning what turned out to be a vital toss and getting the best of the wicket.
Take nothing away from the visitors, they fully deserved their 12 points as they simply batted and bowled better than the home team.
The main concern for Littleborough is, at the time of writing, they still don’t have a permanent professional for the season after being let down badly by not one but two
Queenslanders, days before the season started.
The search continues but for the time being it is deputy professionals and that is disastrous position to be in. It’s poor for the club as a whole, poor for continuity, poor for training and poor for building team spirit with a different professional in the dressing room every week.
Having said that, this is the perfect opportunity now for anyone of these talented amateurs to step up to the mark and make a name for themselves.
Back to the game itself and Louis Russell was first to fall when he chipped Jackson to Jones at cover 15/1.
That soon became 22/2 when deputy professional Tom Rogers reverse swept and was caught at backward point for 5.
Miskella and Perren, who was Littleborough’s best batsman of the day by far, doubled the score and took it to 44 before Miskella was bowled through the gate for 6 off professional Maduwantha.
Hernon soon followed caught at slip for 2 to leave the home side at 48/4.
Perren had reached 24 and looked in no trouble at all when he charged O’loughlin getting a good bit of bat on it but looked on in horror as Basharat took an outstanding catch running back at deep mid on.
The home side had not lost half of their wickets for 62.
Boyle on debut fell for 7 without addition to the score caught and bowled by O’farrell.
Tom Pye was the only other bright point with the bat but he played on for a bright and breezy 15 and it was 83/7.
Sadly, three more soft dismissals left the home side all out for 92 with still over three overs left.
If Littleborough were to turn this around then they had to make early inroads into the opposition and they did this to an extent as Willman and Miskella both claimed a wicket apiece as they dismissed both openers for ducks care of lbws.
Sadly, they were the only wickets of the day for the home side as both captain and professional Wright and Maduwantha looked untroubled as they compiled an unbroken partnership of 80 with Wright finishing on 56 and Maduwantha on 21. Littleborough’s change bowlers had an off day as Enfield cruised to victory.
Next up for Littleborough is the first round of the defence of The Worsley Cup away at Ramsbottom today followed by another away game in the league tomorrow, this time against the team they beat in the aforementioned final, Lowerhouse.