An excellent half century from Ross Zelem proved in vain
Heywood suffered their second defeat of the weekend as they collapsed from a seemingly invincible position at Clifton.
At 198-4 with just under six overs to go, Heywood were cruising to their target of 219 set by the home side.
Then Greg Jennings – bowling straight and with good variations of length and pace – devastated Heywood, removing set man Ross Zelem, then claiming a hat-trick of Riley Paterson, Joe Lovell and Humza Naeem.
It came down to Chris Kaye and Dale Latham needing 12 to win, before Jennings bowled Latham off the second ball off the last over to claim a sensational victory for his side. He finished with 8-59, and Heywood had chucked away victory.
It was a real shame that the middle order and tail showed so little resistance as there had been some great performances in a game Heywood really should have won with ease.
Andy Dawson was the star of the show with the ball, opening the bowling up the hill and picking up two excellent early wickets of overseas Lachie Mason and then pro Cam Murray in consecutive deliveries. He narrowly missed picking up Ben Chapman for a hat-trick.
Adam Holt, Chapman and Dean Morris all batted extremely well on a good pitch for Clifton, but Dawson returned down the slope and picked up three more wickets to finish with 5-32 off 11 to keep Clifton to 219. It was a fine performance from Dawson and one he should use as a catalyst for more wickets.
In reply, Dawson set off in typical style, smashing Steve Cheetham for a straight six before he holed out at long-off to become Jennings’ first victim.
Fellow opener Ross Zelem played with great style and determination, and after Bobby Cross and Travis Townsend went relatively cheaply, he and Danny Pawson made mincemeat of the Clifton attack, putting on 97 for the fourth wicket before Pawson was bowled by Cheetham.
Latham came in and looked to be playing an excellent, match-winning little knock alongside Zelem.
But Zelem picked the wrong ball to try to smash off Jennings, then the late middle order and tail capitulated before Kaye and Latham tried to salvage the situation.
It wasn’t to be and credit has to go to Clifton for how well they stuck at it.
CLIFTON
L Mason b Dawson 17
A Holt b Dawson 79
C Murray lbw b Dawson 0
B Chapman c Paterson b Kaye 30
D Morris not out 44
T Derbyshire c Cross b Dawson 21
S Cheetham b Dawson 0
J Ainscough not out 6
Extras 22
Total (for 6 wkts, 50 overs) 219
Fall of wickets: 1-28, 2-28, 3-103, 4-174, 5-209, 6-210
Bowling: Paterson 4-1-28-0, Dawson 11-1-32-5, Naeem 7-2-23-0, Lovell 11-0-44-0, Kaye 10-1-45-1, Townsend 7-2-44-0
HEYWOOD
R Zelem b Jennings 75
A Dawson c Borritt b Jennings 17
R Cross b Jennings 12
T Townsend c Murray b Jennings 4
D Pawson b Cheetham 60
D Latham b Jennings 23
W Hunt b Cheetham 3
R Paterson b Jennings 1
J Lovell lbw b Jennings 0
H Naeem b Jennings 0
C Kaye not out 7
Extras 13
Total (49.2 overs) 215
Fall of wickets: 1-22, 2-55, 3-75, 4-172, 5-198, 6-201, 7-204, 8-204, 9-208, 10-215
Bowling: Cheetham 17-0-76-2, Jennings 20.2-4-59-8, Borritt 4-0-19-0, Wright 8-0-52-0
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