Norden prevail over Heywood in tense finish

A match which seemed to be going nowhere, except towards a Norden victory, exploded into an unexpected tense finish at Stag Park on Sunday.

Heywood lost eight wickets in reaching 131, chasing a reduced target of 191, and it looked all up for them, but professional Tom Cullen obviously sensed there was still something in it, and he launched a blitz on the bowling.

With one over left the visitors still needed 29, but Cullen blasted the first two deliveries from Hashum Malik out of the ground.

It was down to 17 off four, 15 off three, and sixes required off the last two. Those two produced a single then a four, and Norden had won by seven runs.

Cullen finished on 77 not out and received a standing ovation from the few spectators still on the ground. He deserved that ovation for his hard-hitting knock and never-say-die attitude.

Earlier in the day, and in between short, sharp showers, Norden had totalled 219 for five.

They lost Simon Harman for seven when he was caught behind by Cullen off a Rory Paterson delivery, but Daniel Salpietro and Simon North then pushed on to 118.
Salpietro was first two reach 50, with North soon following, but two runs later North was caught behind by Cullen.

Salpietro took his tally to 66 with a legside six off Chris Kaye, but he tried to do the same next ball and saw Dawson (S) take a catch.

Ollie Makin scored three before being trapped leg before by Dawson (A) and Steve Pimm was on 13 when he went for a quick single, stopped mid-wicket, then carried on to be run out.

Nick Brierley was joined by Matthew Williams and the runs flowed with the overs running down.

With one over left Brierley was on 40, and he took advantage of some short deliveries by Humza Naeem to reach 53, his late blast including a six.

Williams finished unbeaten on 16.

Heywood faced a reduced target, and it looked a difficult task for them when Bobby Cross was caught by Simon Harman in the covers, and Andy Dawson was caught at deep square leg by Steve Pimm.

Danny Pawson was run out when a throw-in from Salpietro gave Williams an easy task in breaking the wicket and it was 46 for three.

Dale Latham was leg before to Salpietro, and four became five soon after a rain break when Naeem went leg before to Salpietro.

Paterson was bowled by Malik and at 76 for six it looked like being a comfortable win for Norden.

But Cullen was still there, and while he wasn’t breaking any pots, he was adding vital runs.

Booth joined him to score 19 before being run out to a Salpietro throw and Steve Dawson added seven before being caught by Pimm.

It was 131 for eight and Heywood looked a million miles away from their target, but Cullen then took up the challenge and certainly had quite a few Norden followers worried, especially when he hammered those last over sixes.

Norden

S Harman c Cullen b Paterson 7
D Salpietro c S Dawson b Kaye 66
S North c Cullen b A Dawson 52
N Brierley not out 53
O Makin lbw A Dawson 3
S Pimm run out 13
M Williams not out 16

Extras 9

Total (for 5 wkts) 219

Bowling: Paterson 8-2-23-1; S Dawson 12-0-49-0; Naeem 10-0-69-0; Kaye 4-0-23-1; A Dawson 9-1-51-2.

Heywood

Reduced target of 191

R Cross c Harman b Malik 8
A Dawson c Pimm b Malik 5
D Pawson run out 28
T Cullen not out 77
D Latham lbw Salpietro 2
H Naeem lbw Salpietro 13
R Paterson b Malik 1
C Booth run out 19
S Dawson c Pimm b Malik 7
A Fawcett not out 9

Extras 15

Total (for 8 wkts) 184

Bowling: C Humphreys 5-0-32-0; H Malik 18-3-82-4; Salpietro 8-0-18-2; Makin 5-0-44-0.

With both first and second teams in league action on Sunday, Norden cobbled together an unfamiliar looking team for the ECB T20 regional finals at Bradshaw, Bolton.

As the CLL T20 champions they faced Bolton League T20 champions Egerton in a semi-final reduced to 12 overs per team.

Egerton totalled 96 for five with Dexter Fitton taking two wickets.

Norden replied with 78 for eight.