Firsts Fall Just Short Again

HEYWOOD are down but not quite out in the Greater Manchester Premier League after coming out on the wrong side of another Crimble photo finish.

They slumped to the bottom of the table after losing by just two runs in heartbreaking fashion to Edgworth – who had started the day themselves propping up the pile.

That leaves Heywood with just three games to salvage their Premier status in the inaugural season of the new set-up: away to top-of-the-table Egerton on Saturday; at home to Glossop the following day; then at Crimble again facing Flixton on September 10, the final day of the season.

Two victories would give them a fighting chance of getting out of a hole which, truthfully, they have dug for themselves.

The Edgworth nailbiter was a prime example as Heywood, chasing 180 for victory, fought back from 152-9 to 177-9 with five overs left.

Skipper Chris Humphreys and Simon Dawson looked in control as they batted with authority – until disaster struck again.

Dawson hit the first ball of the 46^th over cleanly to short mid-off and set off at a gallop for a single that, with hindsight, was hasty with plenty of time to play with.

He made his ground easily but Humphreys, not expecting the call, suddenly realised that his partner was charging towards him. He set off gallantly but was run out at the wicketkeeper’s end to the joy of the Edgworth fielders and despair of the locals.

It was a 10-point swing between the two teams and one that could prove decisive.

Add to that other previous Crimble cliffhangers – a three-run defeat by Egerton, league leaders, remember, and a five-run setback against Denton St Lawrence – and it’s not difficult to see where Heywood have come unstuck.

They can look back and say that they let the Edgworth batsmen off the hook after reducing the visitors to 56-5 from the opening 30 overs, only for Brett Ernst and Guy Haynes to put together a century partnership after Dawson and Chris Humphreys went out of the attack.

Dawson came back late on to finish with another whole-hearted return of 4-35 from his 15 overs, and Humphreys ended with 3-12 from 10, as Ernst, 54, and Haynes, 45 not out, rallied their side to 179-8.

Even that looked eminently gettable as Heywood reached 91-1, despite the early loss of Jayden Borg, with Bobby Cross, 57, and professional Danny Pawson, 35, looking in cruise control.

But both fell in quick succession to Josh Fallows and the not all-too-familiar mid-order collapse ensued and set up that dramatic finale.

EDGWORTH

J Smith b C Humphreys 2

A Syddall c Borg b C Humphreys 3

J Fallows c Cross b S Dawson 9

L Watkinson c Borg b C Humphreys 1

S Panda c Cross b Pawson 21

B Ernst c C Humphreys b S Dawson 54

G Haynes not out 45

A Eastwood c Burrill b S Dawson 15

S Bancroft b S Dawson 0

Extras 29

Total (for 8 wkts, 50 overs) 179

Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-12, 3-14, 4-52, 5-54, 6-157, 7-176, 8-179

Bowling: S Dawson 15-4-35-4, C Humphreys 10-0-12-3, D Humphreys 7-1-26-0, D Pawson 13-2-66-1, J Humphreys 5-0-30-0

HEYWOOD

R Cross c Ernst b Fallows 57

J Borg b Syddall 9

D Pawson b Fallows 35

W Hunt b Watkinson 9

S Burrill c Ernst b Fallows 12

D Humphreys b Watkinson 5

M Grogan c Fallows b Syddall 2

C Humphreys run out 18

J Humphreys b Watkinson 3

M Witts b Watkinson 0

S Dawson not out 7

Extras 20

Total (45.1 overs) 177

Fall of wickets: 1-17, 2-91, 3-106, 4-119, 5-125, 6-132, 7-142, 8-147, 9-152, 10-177

Bowling: A Syddall 15-4-48-2, S Panda 5-0-24-0, J Fallows 12-2-42-3, S Bancroft 3-0-23-0, L Watkinson 10.1-2-32-4

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