Littleborough CC overcome reigning champions Norden in their season opener

Littleborough opened their Lake Garage Central Lancashire League season a week later than other clubs, due to an odd number of teams in the Premiership, and their opener couldn’t have been tougher – at home to reigning champions Norden.

But Boro, led superbly by Clinton Perren, blasted the visitors out of sight to record a comprehensive win.

Perren and Ali Muzzafer each scored half centuries in a total of 187 for six, but the real star of the show was pace bowler Matthew Taylor who took five for 32 in an impressive display.

Boro took first knock, and openers Gary Hulme and Joe Smith-Butler looked solid, while not spectacular, and pushed the score along nicely to 29 before Hulme popped up a delivery from Chris Humphreys to be caught by Steve Wild.

Eight runs later new Boro professional Zimmy Khan failed to beat a throw in from Dominic Humphreys and was run out.

Smith-Butler was next to go, for a patient 23, bowled by Hashum Malik, and Boro were 50 for three.

But the game then changed as Perren and Muzzafer put on 96 for the next wicket.
Perren was sensible in his shots, while Muzaffer was more punishing and included a big six-hit in his knock.

Perren’s innings ended when he was judged leg before to a delivery from Daniel Salpietro, and Muzzafer quickly followed him back to the pavilion, having scored an entertaining 57.
Matthew Taylor then added an unbeaten 16, Joe Taylor being the only other Boro wicket to fall.

Norden’s Simon Harman, scorer of more than 1,000 league and cup runs last season, bagged a duck on opening day, and he was out for nought again, leg before to Michael Burns four balls into the visitors’ innings.

Salpietro was next to go, caught by Khan off Matthew Taylor for five, and Simon North was caught behind by Jamie Roche, off Taylor, first ball received.
Norden were 20 for three, but 15-year-old Rehan Udwadia stuck in to score 29 before being bowled by that man Taylor.

By the time Udwadia was out Steve Pimm had been caught by Hulme for 11, and when Taylor picked up his fifth wicket by trapping Steve Wild leg before Norden were well and truly on the rocks at 51 for six.

Chris Humphreys was bowled by Khan without scoring, Dominic Humphreys went leg before to Hodson and it was almost over.

Martin Smith hit a late 22, and Malik finished 17 not out as Hodson finished off the tail by bowling Smith and Adam Ahmed.

Littleborough
G Hulme c Wild b C Humphreys 18
J Smith-Butler b Malik 23
MZ Khan run out 1
C Perren lbw Salpietro 51
A Muzaffer b Malik 57
M Taylor not out 16
J Taylor c North b Salpietro 5
M Burns not out 5
Extras 11
Total (for 6 wkts) 187
Bowling: Smith 10-0-32-0; C Humphreys 12-4-27-1; Malik 16-3-54-2; Salpietro 9-0-45-2; Ahmed 3-0-26-0.

Norden
S Harman lbw Burns 0
D Salpietro c Khan b M Taylor 5
R Udwadia b M Taylor 29
S North c Roche b M Taylor 0
S Pimm c Hulme b M Taylor 11
D Humphreys lbw Hodson 10
S Wild lbw M Taylor 0
C Humphreys b Khan 0
M Smith b Hodson 22
H Malik not out 17
A Ahmed b Hodson 0
Extras 10
Total 104
Bowling: Burns 8-2-17-1; M Taylor 10-2-32-5; Khan 9-2-9-1; Hodson 6.1-0-26-3; J Taylor 3-0-18-0.