Cricket: Norden crash out of Worsley Cup

For the second weekend running Norden crashed out of a major cup competition.

They followed on their Lancashire Knockout exit with defeat in a quarter-final of the JW Lees Lancashire League’s Worsley Cup.

From the moment Norden lost leading run scorer Josh Tolley for 12 it was hard going, although Harvey Fitton did provide some pleasure with 32 off 69 deliveries faced.

Dominic Humphries was bowled by Francois Haasbroek for 4, and professional Jake Sandham fell to a controversial catch by Toqir Hussain. Some said the ball hadn’t carried, others said it had bounced up off the ground before being taken.

Whatever the case the umpires decided it was out, and the demise of the middle order was  complete when Greg Butterworth was out to a brilliant catch by wicket-keeper Joe Martin.

At that stage it was 79 for five, but Lee Crabtree (34) and Steve Pimm (14) did their best to repair some of the damage as they took the total up to 113 with 10 overs left, each grafting for more than 50 deliveries faced.

Then it rained, and it rained hard with a bit of thunder and lightning thrown in.

When play resumed the loss of overs meant Norden’s innings was at an end, but due to those good chaps Duckworth and Lewis the target for Lowerhouse to chase went up to 151.

It looked promising for Stags when Ben Heap was caught behind by Crabtree off a Chris Humphreys delivery, and visiting pro’ Ockert Erasmus was given out leg before to the same bowler.

It got even better for Norden when Steve Pimm dived forward at point to take a chance from Jon Finch which made it 16 for three.

Ben Uttley and the experienced Haasbroek never looked really troubled and carried the score to 92 before Uttley was caught by Dominic Humphreys.

Haasbroek went on to score 59 before being bowled by Jake Sandham, and Chris Humphreys picked up his fourth wicket of the match when son Dominic caught out Paddy Martin.

Lowerhouse, thanks to an unbeaten 27 from Charles Cottam, reached their target with eight balls to spare.

It was a huge disappointment for Norden, magnified by the fact that the expected large attendance of Lowerhouse supporters never materialised.

Norden

• J Tolley c P Martin b Finch 12
• H Fitton b Erasmus 32
•  D Humphreys b Haasbroek 4
• J Sandham c Hussain b Hawke 2
• G Butterworth c J Martin b Hawke 4
• L Crabtree not out 34
• S Pimm not out 14
• Extras 11
• Total (for 5 wkts) 113
• Bowling: Haasbroek 6-4-12-1; Finch 10-1-37-1; Hawke 10-2-25-2; Hussain 2-0-12-0; Erasmus 8-3-10-1;  P Martin 4-2-13-0.

Lowerhouse

• B Heap c Crabtree b C Humphreys 1
• J Finch c Pimm b C Humphreys 7
• O Erasmus lbw C Humphreys 4
• D Haaasbroek b Sandham 59
• B Uttley c D Humphreys b Malik 23
• C Cottam not out 27
• P Martin c D Humphreys b C Humphreys 6
• C Bleazard not out 5
• Extras 19
• Total (for 6 wkts) 151
• Bowling: Sandham 8-0-25-1; C Humphreys 7-1-17-4; D Buckley 4.4-0-26-0; Butterworth 8-3-29-0; D Humphreys 3-0-23-0; Malik 8-0-25-1