Radcliffe run out of luck

WITH one run needed off the last ball, Radcliffe thought they had victory in their sights at the Crimble, but unfortunately Lady Luck deserted them yet again.

"Young James Kinsler (a Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School pupil making his first team debut) hit the ball well, absolutely creamed it, but the pro took a good catch at extra cover, another two inches higher and we would have won and grabbed five points," said skipper Graeme Simpson.

However, it wasn't just down to bad luck, a contentious 'not out' decision by the umpire had a huge effect on the outcome of the game.

"Their pro was out on 60, he was absolutely bang to rights leg before wicket, but as usual it seems pros can't be out lbw," said Simpson.

"Everybody in the crowd saw it. Our 16-year-old bowler Stephen Cheetham bowled at their sub-pro Ruvin Peiris, a left-hander, and it pitched up and swung into him from outside off-stump, he stepped right back and it hit him plumb in front.

"But the umpire wouldn't give him out. He said it had pitched outside leg stick.

"But when I asked him how that could be when the batsman is left-handed and the bowler has bowled an inswinger from outside off-stump, he had no answer."

The home side batted first and had just 18 on the board when opener Webb (11) became Steve Cheetham's first victim of the afternoon, caught by Farnworth.

Arnold (3) followed him a short time later, another victim of the Farnworth-Cheetham partnership.

Sub-pro Peiris, standing in for Johan Botha, a long term casualty with a stomuch muscle injury, then partnered Kaye, who was out for a duck, lbw to Pasan Wanansinghe, and at 22-3 things were looking promising for the visitors.

But the middle order came to Heywood's rescue, with a 52-run charge from Peiris and Shaw (21, bowled Wanansinghe) followed by 68 from Peiris and Wilkinson (15, bowled Cruse), keeping the home side in touch on 142-5.

Former Middleton paid man Peiris was then paired with his former Towncroft skipper, Rick Purser, but any thoughts the two had of repeating former batting glories were extinguished when Cheetham bowled the Sri Lankan for a top score of 82.

The father and son partnership of Rick and Will Purser then lasted just six runs, Purser senior (6) becoming Cheetham's fourth victim of the day.

A catch from Simpson then ended young Purser's innings (7), quickly followed by Slawson (1), with Cheetham claiming his fifth wicket.

Tail-enders Taylor (12no) and another former Middleton man, Tommy Astley (14, run out), added a valuable 28, which, with the addition of 35 extras, saw Heywood reach 206 off their allotted 50 overs.

Chief wicket-taker for Radcliffe was youngster Cheetham with a season-best 5-47, assisted by Bruce Cruse (2-26) and Wanansinghe (2-48).

Toby McLean managed just one over before pulling a thigh muscle, ruling him out of the Radcliffe attack and relegating him to the role of a passenger in the field.

The Racecoursemen got their reply off to a blistering start, with openers Cruse and Phil Hayes putting 67 on the scoreboard before the Aussie was dismissed for 31.

Hayes was then joined by Wanansinghe but soon departed (31), followed to the crease by skipper Simpson, who hit 14 before being adjudged lbw to Slawson.

The momentum was beginning to slow, with Gorsi (0) out next.

Hope was restored when Farnworth joined Wanansinghe and together they gave the Radcliffe score a much needed shot in the arm with a knock of 89.

The partnership was ended when Wanansinghe (72) was stumped by Astley with the reply on 191-5, to set-up a nail-biting finale.

Farnworth (34) did his best, adding 13 with Kinsler (6), but once Farnworth went so did Radcliffe's hopes of reaching their target, and the last ball finale didn't go Radcliffe's way, running out of overs to finish one run short on 205-7.