Youngsters made real fist of Cup clash
FIRST of all, congratulations to Ramsbottom – they thoroughly deserved to beat Littleborough in the first round of the Worsley Cup.
The scoreline was significant but personally I feel it was a little closer than it looked.
In the past two seasons, by way of promoting youth for the past several years, Littleborough have enjoyed some significant success and we as a club will continue to promote youth and build from within. Why wouldn’t you?
At the moment things are not quite so rosy for various reasons.
This young Littleborough side are going to have to do it the hard way this season with deputy professionals all the way.
Thank goodness we secured a professional with integrity for this game. Haseeb Hammeed was a credit to all who know him.
Ryan Miskella won the toss and inserted the home side in damp conditions but on what turned out to be a flat wicket with a wet outfield but that was the same for both sides throughout the game.
The match was reduced to 42 overs and after 10 overs the home side were
34/0.
The openers coasted the first six overs but then Miskella and Lewis Willman at last bowled in tandem and created some pressure JJ Fielding edged Wilman to Joe Barnes at slip on 12 and he dropped a regulation catch. Fielding went on to make
130.
Littleborough’s back up bowlers bowled 10 overs for 110, Miskella and Willman bowled ordinarily and went for 55 off 15 (20 too many).
Habeeb and young Louis Russell bowled the best, tying a couple of ends up but received no back up.
Ben Pearson filled his boots, batted well at the end of the innings and made 43 before Fielding fell for an excellent 130 off the last ball of the innings
There was some rain during the interval but conditions were the same throughout the innings and Ramsbottom fancied their chances when play recommenced (revised total of 225 off 40) and
that was enhanced when Louis Russell fell for 2 to Matt Burdaky and that was 9/1.
That brought Haseeb Hameed to the wicket and he effortlessly coasted to 28 with five boundaries off 29 balls and I was amazed when he wafted at one defensively and was caught behind.
The way the home side reacted was as though they had won promotion back to Division One.
Miskella and Zac
Perren thought otherwise as they took the score to 124/2 from 53/2 effortlessly and the home side went quiet, Littleborough were fighting back.
Hussain then trapped Perren lbw for another well made 49 before Matthew Hernon was adjudged run out for 6.
Miskella then snicked off for a gutsy 48 to a good catch by his opposite number Harry Caton and the writing was on the wall but make no mistake about it Littleborough were right in this with just 126 needed off 18 with just two down.
Fair play to Ramsbottom, they did what they had to do, increased the run rate and got the job done.
The innings fizzled out. Niall Boyle batted well for 20 and Ramsbottom progressed, well played to them.
Make no mistake Littleborough made a fist of this game, nothing is going for them at the moment but they need to dig deep, back themselves and back each other.
One thing is for sure, we will continue to build from the bottom and promote from within.
Well played Ramsbottom, good luck in the next round.