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Jayasinghe puts Boro to the sword

15/ 7/2008

LITTLEBOROUGH were put to the sword by Oldham professional Chinthaka Jayasinghe as they sank to defeat at Hare Hill on Saturday.

The hosts had posted what looked to be a challenging total of 192 on a slow, green track, and with the ball popping up on a length the bowlers always had a chance.

The mainstay of the Boro innings was professional Kamran Hussain who enjoyed a fine knock which brought him 86 runs from 100 balls faced, including seven fours.

Oldham’s reply got off to a steady start, but the innings lacked impetus until the entrance of Jayasinghe, as Paul Thompson and Naveed Mohammed struggled to find the middle of the bat. Oldham’s paid man didn’t have that problem, and although he enjoyed the luck needed on this type of wicket, he cut loose from the start, treating the bad balls with disdain.

He was eventually out for 82, brilliantly caught by a diving Andy Rodgerson, but by then the damage had been done. His knock included eight fours and three sixes and there is no doubt had he gone early Boro would have been favourites to win.

Littleborough took first knock, and both Rudi Keiser (18) and Curtis Maguire (20) were back in the pavilion with only 42 runs on the board. Gary Hulme played a supporting role as he and Hussain shared a partnership of 64, before Hulme danced down the wicket to Jayasinghe and was stumped by Jason Maher.

Hussain continued to prosper while Danny Thewlis struggled to come to terms with a difficult wicket. The pair had added 36 runs when Thewlis (7) hung out his bat out to dry and edged Liam Garnett to Maher behind the stumps.

With overs running out Boro’s paid man Hussain perished when he tried to up the pace, Mel Whittle taking a well-judged catch at long-on.

Bill Williams (2) attempted to pull Jayasinghe to leg and fell to a tremendous catch by Nick Maree, running in from the square leg boundary. Rodgerson (12) and Jamie Roche (14) provided a late flourish with a stand of 27 before both fell as they tried to force the pace.

Roche was bowled by Garnett, and Rodgerson was stumped off Jayasinghe. Boro declared with two balls remaining of their allotted 50 overs. The Oldham opening batsmen struggled as the ball seamed and lifted off a length.

A hostile Matty Collins must have wondered how they managed to survive as they played and missed with alarming regularity. Hussain also troubled the duo, but they dealt severely with the bad balls and somehow evaded the good, several edged for four behind the wicket. With the score on 36 Collins finally got his reward when Thompson (16) was caught behind by Williams.

Mohammed, though, was finding his feet, and with Jayasinghe at the other end the scorers were kept busy. With the score on 154 Boro were given some hope when Jayasinghe, having smashed a big six off wily campaigner Brendan Miskella, tried a repeat and Rodgerson took the catch.

Mohammed reached his half century before he was trapped leg before by Miskella to leave Oldham on 164 for three. Maree and Faisal-Maisah didn’t panic and there were enough bad balls to help them towards their winning target.

With one needed for victory Faisal-Maisah became Miskella’s third victim, snapped up in the gully by Maguire. It was too little, too late for Boro as Oldham claimed the maximum five points.

Littleborough

R Keiser c Whittle b Mayes 18
C Maguire c Taylor b Whittle 20
G Hulme st Maher b Jayasinghe 14
K Hussain c Whittle b Garnett 86
D Thewlis c Maher b Garnett 7
B Williams c Maree b Jayasinghe 2
A Rodgerson st Maher b Jayasinghe 12
J Roche b Garnett 14
P Deakin not out 1

Extras 18
Total (for 8 wkts dec, 49.4 overs) 192
Bowling: Hussain 13-2-44-0; Collins 11-0-45-1; Deakin 5-1-33-0; Miskella 9.3-1-42-3; Rodgerson 6-0-26-0.

Oldham

P Thompson c Williams b Collins 16
N Mohammed lbw Miskella 57
C Jayasinghe c Rodgerson b Miskella 82
N Maree not out 16
A Faisal-Maisah c Maguire b Miskella 14
L Garnett not out 1

Extras 7
Total (for 4 wkts, 44.3 overs) 193
Bowling: Whittle 14-6-32-1; Mayes 9-1-44-1; Garnett 15.4-0-84-3; Jayasinghe 11-5-26-3.

Oldham (5pts) won by six wickets

Other scores

Clifton 186-4 (Letshela 100no), Royton 115-8 (Walsh 68); Littleborough 192-8 dec (Hussain 86), Oldham 193-4 (Jayasinghe 82, Mohammed 57); Middleton 116-7, Crompton 122-4; Radcliffe 184-5 (Tariq 109), Monton and Weaste 189-4; Walsden 160 (Loku 7-56), Werneth 171 (Gunaratne 7-56). Ashton v Norden - no play, Rochdale v Heywood - no play, Unsworth v Milnrow - no play.

CLL Colts were beaten by the Lancashire County League at Unsworth. The LCL totalled 163. CLL were dismissed for only 96 in reply.

THE CLL second teams' select managed only 43 runs in reply to the Bolton League's 176 in a match played at Ashton.