Kate Cross returns to lead Heywood to easy Royton victory

Kate Cross returned from England duty to help Heywood to a comfortable eight-wicket win over Royton at Crimble

Kate Cross returned from England duty to help Heywood to a comfortable eight-wicket win over Royton at Crimble.

The 23-year-old, who featured in the recent Women’s Ashes Test against Australia, claimed 4-29 in a lengthy, probing spell of 14 overs to topple the top order as the visitors eventually subsided for 85.

And she also claimed a key run-out for good measure, swooping on the ball at cover and claiming a direct hit at the bowler’s end to see off top scorer James Scott for 39.

Then Heywood made light work of the run chase, losing Wes Hunt for nine and professional Rob Nicol for 19 as they sauntered to their target in little more than half the allotted overs.

Royton had raised a few eyebrows when they won the toss and decided to bat, and they were immediately undermined by Simon Dawson and Cross.

Dawson struck the first blow with a ‘jaffa’ to bowl Tony Walsh before Cross took over with the wickets of Liam Brown, overseas amateur Sam Fielding, newly recruited professional Raul Javad and Aqib Zulfiqar.

Then, when she finally ended her tiring stint, 14-year-old Jack Morley and skipper Danny Pawson took over to clean up the Royton tail with a couple of wickets apiece.

The total never looked really capable of testing Heywood despite the impressive efforts of paceman Adam Good, who accounted for both Hunt and Nicol.

Kate’s brother Bobby motored serenely to an unbeaten 29 and Pawson was increasingly impressive on 24 when the match ended early, to leave home supporters probably wishing there was another hour’s play before the evening storms set in.

Royton

T Walsh b S Dawson 0
S Fielding c Hunt b K Cross 14
L Brown c A Dawson b K Cross 0
J Scott run out 39
R Javad c R Cross b K Cross 1
A Zulfiqar b K Cross 0
D Hulme c R Cross b Morley 11
M Smith c Latham b Morley 4
A Good c Nicol b Pawson 0
K Warwick not out 5
J Royales b Pawson 0
Extras 11
Total (35.5 overs) 85
Fall of wickets: 3-1, 8-2, 30-3, 41-4, 53-5, 61-6, 73-7, 74-8, 83-9, 85-10
Bowling: S Dawson 8-2-22-1, K Cross 14-2-29-4, J Morley 10-3-25-2, D Pawson 3.5-0-8-2

Heywood

R Cross not out 29
W Hunt c Hulme b Good 9
R Nicol lbw b Good 19
D Pawson not out 24
Extras 5
Total (for 2 wkts, 26.4 overs) 86
Fall of wickets: 20-1, 48-2
Bowling: A Good 12-2-36-2, L Brown 7-4-12-0, K Warwick 6-0-25-0, J Royales 1.4-0-13-0