Cricket: Middleton seal promotion

Middleton Cricket Club

Middleton travelled to local rivals Milnrow on Sunday 1 September looking to pick up the 12 points needed to secure promotion to the top division of the Lancashire Cricket League. After bowling Milnrow out for 133, Middleton cruised to a ten wicket win in 24.1 overs with professional Chris Williams finishing on 57 not out and Leighton Le Carpentier ending on 60 not out.

Middleton skipper Dale Highton won the toss and put Milnrow into bat, hoping to bowl them out before the forecast rain appeared.

Williams and Richard Dempster opened the bowling against Keelan Shipley and George Park.

Dempster struck twice in two balls in the eight over when he had Shipley lbw for nine and the next ball, he bowled Rob White with a beauty and Milnrow were 15-2.

Milnrow had taken the score to 28 when the rain came, and the players were off the field for 25 minutes and the game was reduced to 46 overs.

Park and Milnrow's Pakistani professional Asif Zakir put together a stand of 75 with Zakir being the main aggressor reaching his 50 off 88 balls. Park was the one to go when Williams had him caught by James Tierney for 28.

Fourteen runs later Highton had Zakir well caught on the boundary by Dempster for 52.

After the professional had gone it was always going to be a struggle for Milnrow and they lost their last 6 wickets for 29 runs with Highton picking up another three wickets that of David Bebb (5) to another Dempster catch. Saiman Saleem (11) caught by Williams and Aaron Crompton stumped by Le Carpentier for five.

Williams was brought back for his third spell and with his 2nd ball he bowled Matthew Barlow without scoring and Middleton wrapped the innings up with 2 run-outs; the first by Highton when his direct hit ran out Lewis Ashton (9) and the next ball Le Carpentiers direct hit ran out Nathan Williamson for 0 to give Middleton the two bowling points.

Middleton had to score the runs they required before any rain returned and they managed that without losing a wicket. Professional Chris Williams hit seven fours off 74 balls and his partner Le Carpentier also had seven fours off 75 balls.

With promotion secured Middleton will be trying hard to beat Littleborough at home next week and hoping Colne lose to Enfield. Colne only need two points to secure first place in the table, but the Middleton boys will give it a good go.

September 2019 games:

• Saturday 7 September - Middleton 3XI v Church 3XI
• Sunday 8 September - Middleton 1XI v Littleborough 1XI
• Saturday 14 September - Rishton 3XI v Middleton 3XI