Cricket: Morley and Dawson set Heywood up, Pawson leads successful chase

Winning knock from skipper Danny Pawson, Heywood Cricket Club

A sting in the tail of both innings saw Heywood get their Division One campaign in the Greater Manchester League off to a winning start.

Flowery Field looked set to post a significant total when they reached 87-1 just past the halfway stage after choosing to bat first at Crimble - looking glorious in the sunshine, a tribute to the tireless work put in by the ground crew over the past few weeks.

Even at 132-5 the visitors were well placed to set Heywood a challenging target before suffering a dramatic collapse in the face of a destructive spell by the precocious Jack Morley, well supported by paceman Simon Dawson.

Flowery Field lost their remaining wickets for just one run as the 15-year-old Morley’s left-arm spin earned him the fine figures of 5-28 off 14 overs.

Dawson, returning to the attack after a fruitless earlier new ball spell, chipped in with 3-26 from 10 overs.

A target of 134 looked eminently achievable for Heywood, especially after Bobby Cross and new signing Andy Kerr moved serenely to 32-0 in the opening 12 overs. However, both went in the space of four runs, Kerr bowled playing circumspectly forward and Cross trapped lbw.

Even then Heywood looked in control as professional Travis Townsend and skipper Danny Pawson put together a stand of 44 before the wheels threatened to come off.

Townsend was bowled by Sean Gibson’s first ball after reaching 18 and starting to look settled, and Morley suffered the same fate for a single later in the over.

When Sean Burrill was trapped lbw by Jamie Garde three runs later, Flowery Field sensed a chance to pull off the victory with the home side wobbling on 83-5.

Andy Dawson joined Pawson, the latter again highly impressive after a fine knock at Bootle the previous week, to settle any nerves with a stand of 51 to see Heywood to their target with almost 11 overs to spare.

Pawson was dominant and secure in a knock of 48, and Dawson – who had earlier opened the Heywood bowling attack with brother Simon – underlined his all-round qualities in a contribution of 21.

The Flowery Field attack was decidedly weakened when Australian paceman Patrick Hammond left the field during the first over of the Heywood innings, having split the webbing of his hand fielding at slip and had to be taken to hospital.

Professional Michael Burns, the quickie recruited from Heywood’s old rivals Littleborough, seemed to suffer a strain after his opening three overs and was never a potent force thereafter.

Heywood were happy to get their season off to a winning start, giving them something to build on for this coming Saturday’s second league game at Winton.

It would be imprudent not to mention two more fine slip catches by Townsend, the second a stunner off Morley to send opener Keiron Lawton packing for 36 at a vital stage of the Flowery Field innings.

Flowery Field

K Lawton c Townsend b Morley 36
S Wharton c Townsend b A Dawson 5
A Dolly st Cross b Morley 39
J Garde run out 7
S Gibson c A Dawson b S Dawson 16
J Williams b S Dawson 8
M Burns lbw b Morley 4
P Hammond c and b Morley 4
O Feakes c Pawson b S Dawson 0
D Dickin b Morley 1
R Nadeem not out 0
Extras 17
Total (45 overs) 133
Fall of wickets: 1-17, 2-87, 3-98, 4-112, 5-127, 6-132, 7-132, 8-132, 9-133, 10-133
Bowling: S Dawson 10-1-26-3, A Dawson 7-0-27-1, D Pawson 3-1-8-0, H Naeem 5-1-18-0, J Morley 14-3-28-5, T Townsend 6-0-19-0

Heywood

R Cross lbw b Nadeem 20
A Kerr b Garde 15
T Townsend b Gibson 18
D Pawson not out 48
J Morley b Gibson 1
S Burrill lbw b Garde 0
A Dawson not out 21
Extras 11
Total (for 5 wkts, 38.4 overs) 134
Fall of wickets: 1-32, 2-36, 3-80, 4-82, 5-83
Bowling: M Burns 6-0-20-0, R Nadeem 13-5-31-1, J Garde 11-1-34-2, S Gibson 6-1-35-2, A Dolly 2.4-0-10-0