An under-strength Heywood seconds side showed some fighting spirit, but still went down to a very good Norden side at Woodhouse Lane.
Ray Baker, opening the batting, compiled a cultured 41 with shots all around the wicket to get Heywood off to a decent start.
However, as has been the pattern in previous weeks, wickets fell at the other end with Matt Hood and Adam Fawcett in particular both getting starts and then not going on.
Chris Booth continued his consistent form of the season and while batting with the returning Mark Kenny, Heywood looked well set to compile a substantial total.
So much so that Norden were forced to call upon injured first team bowler Chris Humphreys to try and get themselves back in the game.
Unfortunately, on losing Kenny for an excellent 37 the Heywood innings folded, losing the last four wickets for 12 runs, leaving a criminal seven overs unbatted. The innings closed on 185.
In reply Norden got off to their customary aggressive start from Saeed Anwar, who was looking to score at every opportunity.
One such shot saw him despatch James Mills for six through the rear windscreen of Mark Kenny’s car – much to his mother’s displeasure!
With Purser initially unable to contain this onslaught Heywood turned to their younger bowlers of Mills and Dom Fawcett it was Fawcett who got the first wicket when he had Anwar spectacularly caught on the boundary by Brandon Sutcliffe.
Purser returned to the attack and eventually snared Fawkes, who had rode his luck for his 26, being dropped by keeper Booth on 3 occasions and being fortunate to survive two strong lbw appeals from Mills.
This, however, brought the experienced Blair Patterson to the crease and with Buckley they set about chasing down the Heywood total, playing “proper” cricket, taking few risks and waiting for bad balls.
With his younger bowlers constrained by ECB bowling restrictions, Smethurst was forced to turn his arm over himself and eventually proved to be Heywood’s most economical bowler.
With Norden needing four an over off the last 10 he had Buckley well caught at midwicket by Adam Fawcett, however by this time Patterson had reached a chanceless, well compiled 50.
With victory in sight Sutcliffe took his second sharp catch off the game to dismiss the dangerous Lord off Smethurst and with nine balls remaining Humphreys struck a leg stump delivery from Fawcett for 4 leading Norden to victory.
This was a good performance from Heywood against a strong Norden side and had the lads from Crimble managed to bat for their full 50 overs they could well have given Norden a fright.
As it is their near neighbours were able to cruise home taking few risks and with players again unavailable this coming weekend Heywood face another two testing fixtures against Clifton & Walsden.