Heywood's Seconds record timely victory over local rivals

Heywood's second team notched their first victory in more than a month with a five-point haul at local rivals Norden.

Stars of the show were the Fawcett brothers, Adam and Dominic, both producing the goods with bat and ball.

Captain Adam top-scored as Heywood batted first with an unbeaten 37, while younger brother Dominic started his all-round performance with a stylish 22 in a total of 176-9.

Other significant contributions came from Mikey Grogan (28), Tom Blundell (20) and a late cameo from Rick Purser (13 not out), and a last-wicket stand of 38 meant that a reasonable total was posted on an indifferent wicket.

It also gave Heywood some momentum going into the tea break, and they got off to the best possible start on the resumption when Dominic Fawcett bowled prolific opener Asif Saaed for just six.

John Keyworth chipped in to remove fellow opener Gareth Fleming, who had been dropped in the first over, before Dominic struck again with the wicket of Ross Collin to reduce the home side to 19-3 in the seventh over.

Young Joe Humphreys then dug in with Jason Collin to try to steady the Norden ship before falling to the last ball of Dominic’s spell, until being forced to come out of the attack under ECB age rule regulations.

For once, young left-arm spinner Jack Morley was unable to add to his tally on a wicket offering turn and variable bounce, and it was left to Adam Fawcett to replace the parsimonious Purser and rip through the late middle-order Norden batting with three wickets – including ex-Heywood player Lee Grogan for a three-ball duck.

That paved the way for Dominic Fawcett to return and complete his first five-wicket haul of the season.

It was a result that the side has been threatening, and maybe a key difference on this occasion was that catches were taken.

Heywood 2nds

R Smethurst c A Saeed b L Grogan 10
M Grogan c Humphreys b Fitton 28
C Kaye c Hazlehurst b Grogan 9
T Blundell b Fitton 20
C Booth c Fleming b Humphreys 6
D Fawcett b Fitton 22
A Fawcett not out 37
S Evans c Hazlehurst b Humphreys 3
J Morley b Humphreys 7
J Keyworth c M Saeed b Humphreys 0
R Purser not out 13
Extras 21
Total (for 9 wkts, 50 overs) 176
Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-39, 3-59, 4-76, 5-85, 6-117, 7-124, 8-138, 9-138
Bowling: M Saeed 6-1-21-0, L Grogan 11-4-22-2, D Fitton 15-3-39-3, J Humphreys 14-2-58-4, J Collin 4-0-31-0

Norden 2nds

A Saeed b D Fawcett 6
G Fleming c M Grogan b Keyworth 2
J Humphreys c Booth b D Fawcett 5
R Collin c Smethurst c D Fawcett 5
J Collin b D Fawcett 45
D Fitton b Keyworth 12
W Hazlehurst c Booth b A Fawcett 18
L Grogan c and b A Fawcett 0
R Greenwood b A Fawcett 4
M Saeed c Smethurst b D Fawcett 1
D Greenwood not out 1
Extras 29
Total (for 10 wkts, 42.4 overs) 128
Fall of wickets: 1-11, 2-12, 3-19, 4-32, 5-51, 6-107, 7-107, 8-126, 9-127, 8-128
Bowling: D Fawcett 11.4-1-29-5, J Keyworth 11-1-26-2, R Purser 9-2-28-0, J Morley 5-1-22-0, A Fawcett 6-1-21-3