Luckless Boro fall to third loss
LITTLEBOROUGH slumped to their third defeat in as many games when they went down to a strong looking Lowerhouse side before a healthy crowd on Sunday.
It was deja vu for this young Littleborough side from the day before – although they went down by 35 runs, again this contest was in the balance with 20 overs left.
However, once again Littleborough just couldn’t get over the line and Lowerhouse deserved their victory despite a plethora of dropped cathches and missed stumpings.
It was their bowling at the top of the order that laid the foundations for victory and this is a department where Littleborough need to improve as both Ryan Miskella and Lewis Willman are struggling to find some early season form.
Lowerhouse won the toss and Ben Heap, after deciding to bat, immediately took the game to the visitors as they raced to 23/0 off five overs with a boundary coming every over.
Willman, however, made the breakthrough when he bowled Francois Haasbroek around his legs as he attempted an extravagant lap sweep and was bowled for one with the score still on 23.
Jon Whitehead joined Heap and they continued to take the attack to Littleborough and took the score to 73 when Miskella enticed a leaning edge off the aggressive Whitehead after taking one risk too many and he fell for a quickfire 26.
That became 93/3 and Heap will be kicking himself – he was well set on 52 when he slapped a half tracker from Willman to Zac Perren at point.
At the other end, both Louis Russell and deputy pro Tilaksha Malshan impressed and although both wicketless they gave their skipper some control from one end.
Thomas Walker, Jack Simm and Chris Bleazard all chipped in and batted around home professional Dan Salpietro who made a vital 68, not the most fluent of innings but he got the job done as the home side finished on 214. Willman and Joe Barnes ended with 3 and 2 wickets respectively.
Littleborough needed a good start if they were to chase this total down but they were not allowed to get going as the home side gave nothing away, especially the impressive Walker who hardly bowled a bad ball all day.
First to fall was young Russell who was bowled for 6 by Walker offering no stroke.
Perren was then joined by Malshan and they took the score to 58 before lady luck shined on the home side when, on 23, Malshan went to cut his opposite number Salpietro. He edged behind, the ball came off the keeper’s glove and looped up to give an easy catch to Heap at slip.
Miskella joined Perren and, although both being given a couple of lives, they took the game to Lowerhouse.
The score was 102/2 and the visitors needed 113 off 16 to secure victory. But with the score on 102 the returning Walker enticed a catch off Perren and he was caught behind for 41.
Hernon looked to be aggressive and was looking good before he holed out at deep mid wicket for 17 which included threeboundaries, 142/4.
When Miskella fell one short of a deserved half century with the score on 150 the writing was on the wall for the visitors and the innings fizzled out and ended on 179/8, innings closed.
Walker was the pick of the bowlers and finished with 3/46 off 13 whilst Salpietro capped a fine all round performance to end with figures of 4/48 off 15.
Next up for Littleborough is a local derby at Hare Hill against Rochdale.
An ideal opportunity for the home side to kickstart their season with a win against the old enemy