Cricket: Rutter the star for Middleton in victory over Moorside

Middleton Cricket 2nd team action shot

Tommy Rutter, Middleton born and bred, gave a man-of-the-match performance to help Middleton to victory in their top of the table clash against Moorside.

With three wickets and a sixty-run partnership with Rhys Tierney, Rutter proved he has all the credentials to become a great all-rounder.

Moorside Captain Rick Harrington won the toss and sent out his openers, Jack Gartside and Danny Anchor, who both walked onto a magnificent looking square.

Middleton skipper George Walker gave the new ball to his twin speed attack of Pro Chris Williams and Mike Pritchard.

With the score on 27 Williams took the first wicket lbw. The Moorside openers had been settling in well in ideal batting conditions and finding the boundaries quite regularly, so this was a good breakthrough for Middleton.

Moorside Captain Harrington didn't last long as he was neatly caught behind by wicket-keeper Pete Foden. 

With two wickets down this meant the arrival of South African professional Gerrie Snyman to the wicket. The League's leading run scorer only two years ago Snyman is capable of winning any match single handedly.

Snyman was soon into his stride with a couple of well taken boundaries taking his score into the twenties.

Gartside had amassed 30 runs and in glorious sunshine a score of over 200 was looking likely.

However, Pritchard had other ideas. Building up some pace and a little movement, and with the score on 93, he claimed the prize wicket of Snyman who tried to lift him over cover to the boundary. The pace of the ball was quicker than Snyman expected and Matt Foden took an excellent catch in the covers to enormous celebration from the Middleton fielders.

Pritchard and Williams were both bowling well and ended up with five wickets between them off 25 overs at less than four an over.

Walker brought spinner Mcguiness into the attack and he removed top scorer Gartside, caught behind for 36 and had dangerous batter Imran Khan lbw for eight.

Tommy Rutter ripped out the Moorside middle order of Phil and Craig Taylor plus the dangerous overseas player Ruan Havenga.

Moorside had 165 runs on the board before Williams mopped up the tail enders.

A shower during tea meant that the Middleton opening pair walked out in overcast conditions not ideal for batting.  However, Chris Williams was soon into his stride finding the boundary with a glorious cut followed up by a perfect drive. He followed up his three wickets with a superb 62 including 11 fours as he expertly found the gaps in the field.

Williams was to be one of Havenga's four victims as he had him caught by Khan with the score on 82.

Middleton were well placed for the loss of only two wickets, but there followed a mini collapse of four wickets, with only a 21 from Walker adding to the score significantly.

McGuiness can consider himself unlucky to be given out lbw when he appeared to get a touch on the ball.

At 108-6 Moorside smelt victory with two youngsters, Rhys Tierney and Tom Rutter, at the wicket and key batters departed.

With spinners Harenga and Khan taking advantage of the conditions it was not easy to bat, however Tierney and Rutter pinched singles whenever possible and began to chip away at the 57 runs required, giving no chances whatsoever to the Moorside bowlers and fielders.

Singles soon turned into twos and fours with the boundary reached on six occasions by this pair. Tierney in particular relished anything on the leg side as he cracked a couple of sweet fours off his legs and into the pavilion fence, much to the delight of the massed Middleton support.

Each run deflated the Moorside team and the winning run was hit with six overs remaining, with Tierney on 26 and Rutter on 27.