Norden clinch Central Lancashire League title

Norden clinched the Central Lancashire League title when they defeated Royton at The Paddock on Sunday.

The celebrations went on late into the night following presentation of the championship trophy by league chairman Neville Fletcher at Stag Park. 

Rockets exploded in the night sky as the players danced on the pitch. Earlier fireworks had been provided by captain Simon North who took five for 43 as Royton were bowled out for 166.

It was hardly one of Stags best performances in the field, as several catches went to ground, but they continued to chip away at the Royton line-up and, to be honest, without half centuries from Tony Walsh and Denny Hulme the innings would have been a mess.
Hulme and Walsh put on 87 for the third wicket after Callum Porteous and stand-in professional Paul Horton had been sent packing by Martin Smith.

The partnership was broken when Walsh was stumped by Ash Gowers. Liam Brown then became the first of North’s wickets when he was caught behind, and six runs later Hulme was leg before to North.

Sam Fielding was also caught behind, for nought, and it was 126 for six.
Wilson was stumped by Gowers, and it was only due to 23 from Alan Durose that Royton managed to reach 166.

The last wicket fell with only three balls of the 50 overs remaining, but four points would have been enough to retain the title for the Stags in any case.

Simon Harman and Daniel Salpietro got the reply of to a perfect start and 72 runs were on the board by the time the latter was out to a debatable leg before decision.

The professional was only one short of 50, and another half century chance went when Harman was out for 41.

North managed only three, but Gowers and Dan Buckley took Stags to the brink of victory.

Buckley was bowled by Walsh for 21. Gowers then rounded it off with a boundary off Porteous, and the celebrations started.

Royton

T Walsh st Gowers b Salpietro 53
C Porteous lbw Smith 2
P Horton b Smith 5
D Hulme lbw North 53
L Brown c Gowers b North 5
S Fielding c Gowers b Salpietro 2
D Wilson st Gowers b North 0
A Good c Harman b North 10
A Durose run out 23
C Joy c Salpietro b North 1
M Smith not out 2
Extras 10
Total 166
Bowling: Smith 11-0-30-2; Malik 11-2-40-0; Salpietro 14-2-49-2; North 13.4-5-43-5.

Norden

S Harman c Wilson b Porteous 41
D Salpietro lbw Smith 49
A Gowers not out 30
S North c Hulme b Porteous 3
D Buckley b Walsh 21
S Pimm not out 0
Extras 23
Total (for 4 wkts) 167
Bowling: Good 7-1-31-0; Fielding 2-0-30-0; Smith 6-2-21-1; Brown 12-0-36-0; Porteous 9.4-2-35-2; Walsh 3-0-9-1.