Norden win the CLL T20 knockout

Norden won the CLL T20 knockout for the Tom Hardman Trophy when they defeated Unsworth in the final

Norden won the CLL T20 knockout for the Tom Hardman Trophy when they defeated Unsworth in the final at Unsworth's Pole Lane ground on Sunday.

Norden rattled up a score of 142 for five then bowled the hosts out for 87.

Norden's score was based on a sound opening partnership between Hashum Malik and Daniel Salpietro on a track which was generally trouble free but still had one or two surprises.

After only four overs the total was on 36,mainly due to hard-hitting Malik who had hit five fours and a six, but had also been dropped at mid-off.

Malik also survived a possible stumping chance when on 39, but he went on to reach 51 before he tickled a delivery from John Wiggins to Jeff Kyte behind the stumps.

Eleven runs later Steve Pimm was caught behind off Jack O’Brien and it was 88 for two, but Unsworth’s hopes of running through the batting were quickly diminished.

Salpietro had 36 to his name when he chased a delivery from Wiggins which was well wide of the off stump and steered the ball into the hands of Kyte.

Ollie Makin was out for 21, Simon North fell for eight, and Matthew Williams finished unbeaten on 10.

It all added up to a score which many felt would be too many for Unsworth to chase down.

There may have been a few changes of mind, however, when Mohammed Jehangir lashed Ollie Makin’s first delivery of the reply for a six.

But in the same over Jehangir made a mess of an attempted repeat and was easily caught by Dan Buckley.

Unsworth suffered another huge blow when Wiggins was run out without scoring, and as in the recent Wood Cup game between the two it seemed much of Unsworth’s chances were pinned on professional Chris Williams.

He lost the help of Kuyt who was bowled by Simon North, and Chris Long who was caught by first team debutant Adam Ahmed off a skier.

Williams then went for a long straight hit off North, was caught by Pimm, and the Unsworth innings was in tatters at 52 for five.

Arora and Fazil did provide a bit of relief for home supporters with a partnership of 19, ended when the latter was caught behind, while Arora was caught to provide Ollie Makin with another wicket.

North then accounted for Alex Blake who was bowled, and Jack O’Brien who was leg before, but the skipper’s chance of a hat-trick went when he bowled a wide.

It was almost all over, and the end came when Hashum Malik removed the middle stump to spark the celebrations.

Malik was later named man of the match by adjudicator Nigel Tench, and the players received their medals from CLL officials Tom Williams, Neville Fletcher and Colin Jackson, along with Dean Redfearn of competition sponsors JW Lees, before Scott Hardman presented the trophy to NCC captain Simon North.

Norden

H Malik c Kuyt b Wiggins 51

D Salpietro c Kuyt b Wiggins 36

S Pimm c Kuyt b O’Brien 5

O Makin b Richards 21

S North c Jehangir b Wiggins 8

M Williams not out 10

H Fitton not out 0

Extras 11

Total (for 5 wkts) 142

Bowling: Williams 4-0-24-0; O’Brien 4-0-40-1; Richards 4-0-24-1; Jehangir 4-0-24-0; Wiggins 4-0-28-3

Unsworth

M Jehangir c D Buckley b Makin 6

J Kuyt b North 14

J Wiggins run out 0

C Williams c Pimm b North 16

C Long c Ahmed b Salpietro 4

A Arora c Pimm b Makin 11

A Fazil c Williams b Makin 15

A Blake b North 1

J O’Brien lbw North 0

J Ramsay b Malik 7

L Richards not out 1

Extras 12

Total 87

Bowling: Makin 3-0-20-3; Smith 3-0-15-0; Malik 2.5-0-9-1; Salpietro 3-0-25-1; North 4-0-13-4.