Staying cool
4:36pm Wednesday 9th July 2008
RADCLIFFE sent out a title warning to their rivals with an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Walsden.
Saturday’s win kept the Central Lancashire League side on course for their first championship in 14 years.
But, with just two points separating the top four sides in the table, the Racecourse outfit are refusing to get to carried away.
“There’s still a long way to go,” said cricket secretary Chris Franklin.
“Nobody at the club is talking about titles. If we’re still there or thereabouts at the end of the season, we’ll give it our best shot. A bit of a gap has opened up between ourselves, Norden, Heywood and Crompton, and the rest. The top four are definitely pulling away, but you do get funny results so we just have to keep going.”
In a match reduced to 30 overs a side by the weather, a fine all-round bowling display helped Radcliffe restrict the visitors to 131-9. Overseas amateur Carl Sandri was the pick of the bunch with 4-39.
The prolific Usman Tariq led the reply. The Pakistan professional hit 55 – taking him past 900 runs for the season – and Ashan Raza struck an unbeaten 30 as the table-toppers coasted home with wickets and overs to spare.
“It was a good all-round performance,” said Franklin.“We bowled really well and it was a comfortable win. The groundstaff also deserve a pat on the back for enabling us to play in the wet weather.”
Radcliffe entertain sixth-placed Monton & Weaste on Saturday, before kicking off this year’s Bury Cricket Development Group Twenty20 competition the following day.
The first round of matches takes place at Stand, and the hosts, along with Radcliffe and Greenmount, will compete for a place at finals day to be held later in the season.
lRadcliffe will be holding an under-11s junior festival at the Racecourse Ground on Sunday from 10am.
lUsman Tariq’s benefit game between Radcliffe All Stars and an International XI will take place on Friday, August 8, from 6pm. Entry £1.
Scorecards: Page 61
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