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Hosts’ Wood win

26/ 5/2004

Royton 131ao
Ashton 132-2

ASHTON finally produced the kind of performance they had been threatening by sending Royton out of the JW Lees Wood Cup first round.

Bowling first at Rayner Lane, the hosts enjoyed early success with the fifth ball as Australian Arthur Percy was comprehensively bowled by a wicked Ridee off-cutter.

It was then the turn of the Sri Lankan's new ball partner - man-of-the-match Rizwan Hussain - to shine as he had Matthew Ward caught at slip by Ridee, Mike Harding caught behind by Chris Calverley and skipper Lee Gibbons bowled.

Hussain's 16-year-old brother Farhan then came into the action as, having replaced Ridee, he saw Iman strike two boundaries.

However, when Paul Hughes hit one straight at Craig Coles and Dave Clark was trapped by Ridee, Royton were 71-6, having lost four wickets for 26 runs.

Iman batted sensibly and, along with Martin Bell, took the total to 121-8 before David Gaskin ran out Gary Lees and Haydon Thorpe did the same to Nick Cook, leaving Iman on 81 not out.

In reply, Ashton began their innings well with openers Calverley and Jason Mellor passing 50, Calverley smashing Hughes out of the ground before falling next ball for 40.

At 60-1, Ashton were only two quick wickets away from relinquishing their grip on the game but Ridee struck three quick boundaries before reining in his attacking instincts with Mellor going well at the other end.

After a rare Royton maiden, Mellor and Ridee both struck boundaries to bring up the Ashton century before both batsmen were then quickly dismissed.

The lack of variety of Royton's slow bowlers Percy and Gibbons was in stark contrast to the flight and invention shown by their opposite numbers Thorpe and Gary Coles, while Coles' captaincy, a difficult job at the best of times, was a model of discipline and insight.

With just six runs needed, Thorpe crashed Martin Bell through midwicket for four, but three balls later gifted Royton a late consolation as he hit a half-volley from Bell straight to Harding for a quick 28.

His replacement, Rizwan Hussain, completed a memorable day for him and his team by piercing the Royton infield to record their first Wood Cup win in six years.