Welcome-Goodman shines as Heywood stumble

Another comprehensive defeat, this time at Flixton, has left Heywood wondering where their next Greater Manchester Premier League victory is coming from.

A sizzling century from West Indian Marlon Welcome-Goodman saw the Flixton cash in on their closing overs to reach 226-6 after being put in to bat by Heywood.

Heywood’s brittle batting line-up failed to deliver as they slumped to 145 all out and a comprehensive defeat.

The turning point of the match came when Welcome-Goodman strode to the wicket at 59-3 with Flixton limping along at less than three per over.

Welcome-Goodman and Ash Perry put together a stand of 147, with the man from Barbados contributing all but 45 of them.

Flixton made 88 from the last 10 overs as Welcome-Goodman, well supported by Perry, cut loose with sixes and fours galore to give his side the momentum in the match going into the tea break.

A victory target of 227 did not look insurmountable for Heywood, particularly when Bobby Cross and Liam Mason looked comfortable in an opening stand of 29, but then three wickets quickly fell to Flixton professional Usman Tariq. Mason sliced a catch to point, Cross was caught at slip and Dominic Humphreys was trapped lbw first ball.

When Australian overseas amateur Jayden Borg was then adjudged lbw to Luke Perry, though he appeared to have edged the ball on to his pads, the slump was in full flow at 43 for four.

Professional Danny Pawson and Andy Dawson did manage to regain some equilibrium with a stand of 65, but Welcome-Goodman’s fellow West Indian Alton Beckford then stepped up to help administer the final rites.

The leg-spinner created pressure in an impressive seven-over spell, and when Andy Dawson tried to cut loose he only succeeded in sweeping a catch to backward square leg and fell for a promising 23.

Pawson went without addition to the scoreboard, caught at long-on for 45, and when Wes Hunt was run out for a single, three wickets had fallen for one run.

There was no way back for Heywood from 109 for seven despite skipper Chris Humphreys again showing his capabilities with the bat in an undefeated contribution of 24.

Joe Lovell, Jack Morley and Simon Dawson all went cheaply.

Flixton

L Perry b S Dawson 6
U Tariq b D Humphreys 23
A Perry c D Humphreys b C Humphreys 69
A Beckford c C Humphreys b Morley 0
M Welcome-Goodman b C Humphreys 102
A Baig c A Dawson b C Humphreys 0
S Parkinson not out 6
C De’Ath not out 2
Extras 18
Total (for 6 wkts, 50 overs) 226
Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-57, 3-59, 4-206, 5-206, 6-219
Bowling: S Dawson 14-3-71-1, C Humphreys 11-3-34-3, D Humphreys 7-0-19-1, J Morley 11-3-48-1, J Lovell 6-1-26-0, D Pawson 1-0-20-0.

Heywood

R Cross c Welcome-Goodman b Tariq 22
L Mason c Parkinson b Tariq 14
D Pawson c Welcome-Goodman b Beckford 45
D Humphreys lbw b Tariq 0
J Borg lbw b L Perry 3
A Dawson c Parkinson b Beckford 23
W Hunt run out 1
J Lovell b Beckford 7
C Humphreys not out 24
J Morley run out 3
S Dawson c and b De’Ath 0
Extras 6
Total (44.2 overs) 145
Fall of wickets: 1-29, 2-40, 3-40, 4-43, 5-108, 6-108, 7-109, 8-127, 9-145, 10-145

Bowling: U Tariq 12-3-47-3, L Perry 15-4-36-1, A Baig 10-0-35-0, A Beckford 7-0-27-3, C De’Ath 0.2-0-0-1