Cricket: Norden title hopes rocked by Walsden

Norden Cricket Club

Norden’s title hopes were rocked at the weekend.

They were deposed as leaders on Saturday when their fixture against Stayley was washed out and Walsden leapfrogged them by beating Monton and Weaste.

On Sunday, Norden were beaten by Walsden at Scott Street.

Walsden fully deserved their win by five wickets, although at one stage Norden had them reeling with three top batsmen back in the shed and only 32 on the board.

From that point it all went wrong for Norden.

A solid innings from Nick Barker who didn’t do anything rash, took runs when they were offered and finished unbeaten on 40.

Umesh Karunaratne, inured in an incident, had a runner for part of his innings and compiled 41 before he was caught by Rehan Udwadia as the ball came off bat onto head and into hands.

He, Nick Barker, and James Rawlinson (25) had given the innings a backbone following the early dismissals of Josh Gale, who was caught behind, and Jake Hooson who escaped when Harvey Fitton couldn’t reach a possible catch but was then run out by the throw in from Fitton.

The other Walsden wicket to fall saw Matt Dawson run out in a yes no yes no scenario.

When Dawson was out Walsden still needed another 52 to top Norden’s 148 all out, but they never looked like losing another wicket as Nick Barker strolled on and Steve Barker scored 28 not out, despite some good bowling from Greg Butterworth and Martin Smith.

Norden’s innings never really gathered momentum.

Only 13 were on the board when Josh Tolley was caught by James Rawlinson.

Runs were hard to come by against some superb bowling by James Shackleton and Steve Barker, and after 10 overs Norden had only 15 scored.

Rehan Udwadia played the bowling well, but on 21 he edged a slight lifter from Shackleton and was caught behind by Dawson.

Ash Gowers was next to go when he popped up a return catch to Joe Gale, then Harvey Fitton was given out stumped to make it 81 for four.

Greg Butterworth failed to score, then Zamurad, on 62, was given leg before to Josh Gale.

Of the remaining batsmen Martin Smith hit 21 before falling to the bowling of Steve Barker who rounded off the innings by bowling Chris Humphreys.

Norden

J Tolley c Rawlinson b Shackleton 4
R Udwadia c Dawson b S Barker 21
N Zamurad lbw Josh Gale 62
A Gowers c and b Joe Gale 9
H Fitton st Dawson b Karunaratne 0
G Butterworth c Hooson b Karunaratne 0
S North c Rawlinson b Josh Gale 7
M Smith c N Barker b S Barker 21
H Malik c S Barker b Joe Gale 6
C Humphreys b S Barker 7
C Hartley not out 0
Extras 11
Total 148
Bowling: Shackleton 10-3-33-1; S Barker 10.2-2-39-3; Josh Gale 5-0-19-2; Karunaratne 12-2-26-2; Joe Gale 6-1-28-2.

Walsden

J Hooson run out 0
Josh Gale c Gowers b Humphreys 0
N Barker not out 40
J Rawlinson c Butterworth b Smith 25
U Karunaratne c Udwadia b Smith 41
M Dawson run out 2
S Barker not out 28
Extras 13
Total (for 5 wkts) 149
Bowling: Hartley 7-1-17-0; C Humphreys 5-1-18-1; Zamurad 4-1-19-0; Smith 12-3-39-2; Malik 3-0-22-0; Butterworth 8-2-20-0; North 4.4-1-13-0.