Norden outfoxed by Unsworth

When Chris Hartley hammered a long six towards the ponds at Pole Lane a point had been secured by Norden in their CLL match against Unsworth.

But one point was all they got as The Stags were outfoxed by Unsworth for much of the game, and at 29 for five chasing a winning target of 163 the visitors had looked on course for one of the lowest totals of the season.

Ash Gowers, Dom Humphreys and Martin Smith got into the 20s, but when the last wicket fell Norden were still 30 short of the home score.

One man was mainly responsible for Unsworth’s score –professional Chris Williams who was in for just over two hours, and scored an unbeaten 80 off 113 balls faced.

Williams went to the crease with Unsworth in a mess, Jeff Keyt had been caught by Steve Pimm, Chris Long had been caught by Martin Smith and almost immediately on his arrival in the middle Williams saw Aman Arora offer a return catch to Smith.

It was 13 for three, but Williams started to rebuild the innings with a succession of partners as Norden chipped away at the innings.

Gregoriou was leg before to Daniel Salpietro for 13, Jack O’Brien was caught at forward short leg by Steve Pimm, and Mohammed was well taken by Rehan Udwadia inches in from the boundary rope.

Mohammed tried to claim that Rehan had backed over the rope. He did as the ball hurtled towards him, but when he took the catch he was clear.

Alex Blake tried to hit a Steve Wild delivery out of the ground, top edged, and was easily caught by Salpietro, and the tail, apart from a late flurry by Williams, surrendered for runs which, as it proved, were above and beyond what Unsworth needed for victory.

It started to go really wrong for Norden when Salpietro was given leg before to the pacy Williams with only three on the board. It did seem that Salpietro had got bat on ball before pad, but out he was.

Rehan Udwadia quickly followed, given leg before to Jack O’Brien, Simon Harman was bowled by Williams, Simon North was bowled by O’Brien and Steve Pimm was leg before to the same bowler.

At 29 for five Norden looked done for, but Ash Gowers and Dominic Humphreys featured in a nice partnership of 49 before the latter was bowled by Blake for a well made 28.

Gowers went soon after, bowled by Blake, and Steve Wild was out for seven.

Martin Smith cracked two sixes in a 22-ball 26, but when he was out with the total on 117 Norden were still five short of a consolation point.

Chris Hartley blanked four deliveries from Blake, but then hit a six off the first ball he received from O’Brien, and a point was in the bag.

The end came two overs later when Hartley was bowled by O’Brien and Unsworth had another worthy scalp to add to their belt following a win over Littleborough in their previous home match.

Unsworth
J Keyt c Pimm b Smith 6
A Arora c and b Smith 5
C Long c Smith b Hartley 1
C Williams not out 80
A Gregoriou lbw Salpietro 13
J O’Brien c Pimm b Salpietro 5
J Mohammed c Udwadia b Salpietro 12
A Blake c Salpietro b Wild 7
A Taylor c Harman b Wild 12
B Eckton b Salpietro 0
L Richards b Hartley 0
Extras 21
Total 162
Bowling: Smith 10-2-25-2; Hartley 8.2-4-15-2; Salpietro 17-1-62-4; Malik 7-3-19-0; Wild 6-0-37-2.

Norden
S Harman b Williams 9
D Salpietro lbw Williams 3
R Udwadia lbw O’Brien 3
S North b O’Brien 6
A Gowers b Blake 23
S Pimm lbw O’Brien 1
D Humphreys b Blake 28
M Smith c Keyt b Blake 26
S Wild c Williams b Richards 7
H Malik not out 4
C Hartley b O’Brien 9
Extras 13
Total 132
Bowling: Williams 10-5-16-2; O’Brien 13.2-5-31-4; Eckton 6-1-18-0; Richards 10-0-34-1; Blake 8-2-27-3.