Norden CC beat Littleborough to win the Wood Cup final

It was boom time at Woodhouse Lane on Sunday night as the Norden players gathered for a photo shoot to a background of fireworks following their victory over Littleborough in the JW Lees Bitter Wood Cup final.

It was a happy time, but there must also have been a great feeling of relief, as they could easily have lost one of the closest finals in the history of the Central Lancashire League.

With one over left Boro needed 10 to win on least wickets lost, 11 to win outright, and the man facing up to the bowling of Simon North was Chris Schofield who had produced some fireworks of his own on his way to a score of 119.

Schofield swung at the first delivery and saw Daniel Salpietro take his fourth catch of the match. The rest proved beyond the remaining batsmen and Norden were home by five runs.

For the neutral it had been entertainment at its best, with some big hits mixed in with purist batting, and some brilliant bowling, especially by veteran Mo Bux whose 10 overs saw him return one for 19.

Schofield’s 10 overs cost only 26 runs, and he was an obvious candidate for the man of the match award, as were Simon Harman who hit a ton for Norden, and Matthew Hodson who took five for 64 for Boro.

But adjudicator Nigel Tench went for Norden skipper Simon North who had scored a patient 45 and taken three for 28 in his 10 overs.

The player of the series award went to Simon Harman who had scored a double ton in the first round match against Radcliffe.

Harman’s knock in the final saw him break Norden's record for most runs by an amateur in one season, and there is still a long way to go this term.

Previous record holder Alan Howard was at Werneth on Sunday to see Norden suffer a huge early blow when Salpietro chopped on a Bux delivery with only six on the board.

But Harman and North provided the base for a big score which slowly but surely didn’t look on as Boro chipped away at the innings.

Both North and Harman, who was dropped on 72, were out to the bowling of Hodson, and wickets fell cheaply as Norden chased the runs, but Steve Pimm scored what proved a vital 34 before being bowled by Hodson, and Norden closed on 227 for eight.

The locals felt it wasn’t enough, but most recognised that Boro’s hopes lay with professional Clinton Perren and captain Schofield.

Gary Hulme was out for 21, and his opening partner Perren went with the total on 85.
It was down to Schofield and he batted brilliantly, with Callum Rushton contributing 24 at the other end.

Boro looked favourites, but the overs were running down, and the asking rate was up to eight then nine.

With Schofield in it looked probable more than possible for Boro, but his dismissal settled the issue.

Norden
S Harman c Hulme b Hodson 100
D Salpietro b Bux 5
S North c Schofield b Hodson 45
O Makin c Roche b Burns 3
N Brierley c Roche b Hodson 7
S Pimm b Hodson 34
M Williams c Roche b Hodson 9
H Fitton c Pye b Rushton 1
D Buckley not out 5
H Malik not out 5
Extras 13
Total (for 8 wkts) 227

Bowling: 
Burns 10-2-50-1; Bux 10-4-19-1; Rushton 5-0-25-1; Schofield 10-1-26-0; Willman 2-0-17-0; Deakin 3-0-22-0; Hodson 10-0-64-5.

Littleborough
C Perren c Makin b Malik 25
G Hulme c Salpietro b North 21
C Schofield c Salpietro b North 119
T Pye c and b Salpietro 11
C Rushton c Salpietro b North 24
M Burns run out 1
J Roche not out 7
M Hodson not out 1
Extras 13
Total (for 6 wkts) 222

Bowling: 
Smith 10-1-53-0; North 10-4-28-3; Malik 10-1-34-1; Makin 10-1-60-0; Salpietro 10-1-48-1.