Cricket: Heywood keep calm to edge home against Winton

Heywood went back to the top of Division One in the Greater Manchester League after beating Winton in a rain-affected game.

Reduced to 30-overs-per-side, Heywood contained bottom-of-the-table Winton to 112-8, a target that seemed comfortable to the home supporters – and maybe the team.

Both were in for a rude awakening as the spirited visitors, belying their lowly position, pushed Heywood right to the wire.

Andy Kerr led the run chase with 39, although his gritty contribution underlined that batting was never easy on a difficult wicket, and he lost Wes Hunt for four, Bobby Cross for two and Jack Morley for seven before he himself was fourth man out with the total on 64.

The run rate was creeping up all the time and when Danny Pawson came in the asking rate was almost six-per-over.

The Heywood captain realised that his side needed to shake off the pressure asserted by the Winton bowlers - led by an admirable spell of 2-22 from nine overs by Darren Carter - yet he perished for just six from seven balls, caught slicing a catch to point trying to break the stranglehold.

The Heywood nervousness spread through the ranks on and off the field.

Sean Burrill went to his first ball, and when Andy Dawson fell for seven 11 runs later Heywood were 84-7 staring a costly defeat in the face with just five overs left and still 29 runs needed.

They found a late order saviour in the shape of Simon Dawson, who provided professional Travis Townsend with the impetus and support that the side desperately needed.

Dawson took the attack to the Winton bowling with aggressive strokeplay and zealous running, and with Townsend battling hard at the other end the tide was gradually turned. So much so that, although Dawson was dropped from the penultimate ball of the 29th over, victory was in sight.

Just two runs were needed from the final over and the duo saw it through with four balls to spare, Townsend finishing with a vital 21 and Dawson crucially 14 from 15 balls.

Earlier, Winton themselves had struggled to set what seemed like a competitive total, with 15-year-old Cabhan Hilton given the new ball and responding with a creditable 1-15 from five overs.

Kate Cross followed up with a six-over spell of 3-18, and with Morley chipping in with two late wickets the Winton total of 112 had, mistakenly, looked somewhat below par.

Winton

K Humphrys c and b K Cross 17
R Brown c Morley b Hilton 0
C Hayes b K Cross 19
M Seenan lbw b K Cross 22
T Derbyshire lbw b Morley 23
J Nixon st R Cross b A Dawson 0
D Holden c Kerr b Morley 17
D Carter run out 6
D Marchment not out 1
Extras 7
Total (for 8 wkts, 30 overs) 112
Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-28, 3-44, 4-71, 5-72, 6-102, 7-106, 8-112
Bowling: A Dawson 9-0-21-0, C Hilton 5-0-15-1, K Cross 6-0-18-3, A Dawson 6-0-39-1, J Morley 4-0-14-2

Heywood

A Kerr b Seenan 39
W Hunt c Brown b Carter 2
R Cross b Carter 4
J Morley run out 7
T Townsend not out 21
D Pawson c Hayes b Humphrys 6
S Burrill b Seenan 0
A Dawson c and b Seenan 7
S Dawson not out 14
Extras 13
Total (for 7 wkts, 29.2 overs) 113
Fall of wickets: 1-15, 2-25, 3-54, 4-64, 5-73, 6-73, 7-84
Bowling: D Marchment 6-0-27-0, D Carter 9-2-22-2, M Seenan 9-0-41-3, K Humphrys 5.2-0-17-1