Heywood's 2nds enjoy nine-wicket Crompton romp

Runs for Ben Thulborn

Heywood's second team got back on the winning trail in emphatic style, after the setback of last week’s home defeat to Middleton, with a nine-wicket romp at Crompton.

Captain Adam Fawcett had, on winning the toss, no hesitation in inserting the home side of a soft wicket. And his decision was soon vindicated by the opening attack of John Keyworth and Rick Purser.

They proved too miserly for the Crompton top order, and Keyworth accounted for two of the early wickets followed by the run-out of experienced top-scorer Glenn Rigby.

And, as the innings progressed, each bowling change helped to turn the screw on attempts by the home batsmen to score more than a couple of runs per over.

Dominic Fawcett and the increasingly competitive Jack Morley frustrated the vastly more experienced Crompton players, with Morley in particular producing his best spell of the season.

He took the eye of several seasoned and knowledgeable observers with the length and pace of his bowling, totally belying his tender years.

Purser and Keyworth returned to wrap up the tail, and a well-below par score of 84 left the home side looking quite dejected.

When Phil Dawson and Roger Smethurst opened the batting for Heywood, things looked rosy when the former smashed a class boundary through cover from the third ball of the innings. Unfortunately, a hesitant waft at the next delivery saw him edge a catch behind.

What followed was an excellent partnership between Smethurst and 17-year-old Ben Thulborn – the latter enjoying a welcome return to form.

Both batsmen were watchful against anything straight and full, but took toll of short and wide deliveries, mixing things up with aggressive running between the wickets.

Runs came freely and Heywood reached their target in the 22nd over to pocket a welcome maximum five points.

Crompton 2nds
G Rigby run out 27
M Hall c Thulborn b Keyworth 3
M Sutton c Thulborn b Keyworth 8
S Smith lbw b Purser 5
J Punchard st Booth b Morley 16
J Allott c Blundell b D Fawcett 5
R Billing c A Fawcett b Morley 0
L Bradley b Keyworth 1
H Kershaw-Whittle c Blundell b Purser 1
D Clegg b Purser 1
S Webb not out 0
Extras 13
Total (38.5 overs) 84
Fall of wickets: 1-19, 2-34, 3-41, 4-54, 5-63, 6-66, 7-74, 8-74, 9-83, 10-84
Bowling: Keyworth 11-0-39-3, Purser 12.5-4-18-3, D Fawcett 7-2-17-1, Morley 8-2-9-2

Heywood 2nds
P Dawson c Webb b Sutton 4
R Smethurst not out 35
B Thulborn not out 36
Extras 10
Total (for 1 wkt, 21.5 overs) 85
Fall of wickets: 1-4
Bowling: M Sutton 4-0-23-1, S Webb 5-1-14-0, J Punchard 6-1-10-0, J Allott 5.5-0-27-0, H Kershaw-Whittle 1-0-9-0