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Royton Cricket A bounced straight back after their heavy defeat at Hollinwood Cricket
A last week to win 15-2 at Stanley Road A. This puts them 7 points behind leaders Springbank who had 7 winners at home to
Dunwood Park A, Alan Bidwell 21-2 and Lance Greenwood 21-9 leading the way with the auld fella Harold Gadsby turning in a
21-7 win for Dunwood.
Another team who have had two bad results in the last two weeks, Springhead Libs A, took it out
on Nimble Nook A (as Mario would say- why always us?) with 7 winners on the Nook. Looking OK with a 3-2 lead at the half way
stage Nook looked to be on for a respectable result but Libs ran in all 5 winners in the second half for a 13½-3
win.
Friezland A welcomed back Geoff Ball whose 21-9 win was only bettered by the new vet this year Jack Dearden who
won 21-7 as the won 10-4½ at home to Brookdale Park A, for whom Len Kewley did his impression of the hot shoe shuffle
on the mat to take the kitty 21-7 for Brookdale.
Crompton continue to astound everyone as they lie in fourth spot following
their 12-4 win at North Chadderton A, Brian Yates having a resounding 21-4 win and Eddie Schumann with a 21-9 card for the
visitors, Jim Mountford 21-5 and Harold Gibson 21-8 for North Chadd.
Hollinwood Cricket A are kept their hopes alive
as they had 6 winners and the aggregate at Delph A who now prop up the table. Frank Gartside 21-3 and Mike Hall 21-9 won for
the visitors whilst Bill Holland and John Lord both won 21-9 for Delph.
Lees & Hey upset Stanley
Road B's plans to go through the season unbeaten when they won 8-7½ on their postage stamp green. John Rowarth
21-4, Tony Crewe 21-7 and Alec Chalk 21-9 ensured the home side took the aggregate with Tony Collinge winning 21-2 for
the visitors. Extra training was ordered for the Galacticos - click here.
Two teams, Norden and Royton Park A, turned in eight winners against Friezland B and Chadderton Hall Park A respectively.
Steve Beaumont 21-5, Dennis Bamford 21-6 and Geoff Mallinson 21-8 were the leading scorers for Norden whilst all players
contributed to Royton's 11-3 win. David Williams' 21-2 win for Chaddy Hall was the best of the match.
Stalybridge
Rec made full use of their game in hand when they played at Chaddy Hall on Monday coming away with 5 winners (Cliff Potts
21-9) and the aggregate for a 10½-5 win. That, together with a 9-6 victory at home to Tonge on match-day 6 has enabled
them to narrow the gap at the top to eight points. Derek Winder almost broke out into a smile as he took the kitty for Rec
with a 21-8 card, Joe Connor 21-7 replying for Tonge.
Another 9-6 score was recorded at St Georges Square A where
Moorside were the visitors. Geoff Robinson 21-7 top scored for the home side with Kevin Sterndale 21-4 and Cyril Wardle 21-8
replying for sheep molesters.
Moorside played their second away game in two days when on Friday they went to Dobcross and
had 6 winners. Unfortunately due to David Lever's 21-6 for Dobcross they didn't get the aggregate losing it by 2 chalks
for a 9-7 win for them.
Alan Nightingale (Royton Cricket B) and Mike Hanson (Dobcross) matched each others 21-9 cards
as the cricket club had seven winners for a 10-4½ win.
Springhead
Libs B's nine winners at home to Werneth Park has seen them amass 40½ points from their last three games and open
up a 14½ points gap at the top. Their winners included Brian Hallworth 21-3, John Hibbard 21-5, Mike Allingan
and John Blckman, both 21-6, and Keith Fitton 21-9. Harry Cocker saved Werneth's blushes with a 21-17 card.
George
Hallsor was all set for a holiday on the basis of winning the kitty when he came off the green with a 21-2 win but John McNulty
put a stop to that when he turned in a 21-1 card as Dog & Partridge overcame Delph B 9-6.
Mike Byrne (21-5) was Nimble
Nook's best winner as they had 5 winners and the aggregate at Brookdale Park B, a creditable result on the Joywheel.
Arthur Boardman replied for the park team 21-7.
Brian Green (Uppermill) and Cec Wright (Royton Park B) had identical
21-3 wins, but the Saddleworth side had seven winners (including Peter Bennion 21-5 and Ken Sharp 21-9) in a 10-4½
victory.
The aggregate in the other two games was won by one chalk in each game. Lower Failsworth Park only had 4 winners
at Fitton Park for whom Terry Keenan top scored 21-8 which was equalled by Derek Garner for the visitors- final score 9-6
to Lower Failsworth.
Graham Goldrick's 21-4 win for Higher Failsworth Park A at home to Church Inn was the deciding
factor as the park team won 8-7½. Ernie Shaw won 21-6 for Church.
Alexandra
Park closed the gap on leaders North Chadderton after their six winners, and aggregate win by one chalk, at Hollinwood
Cricket B. Tommy Higgins's 21-4 win certainly helped as the cricket team had two big winners in Eddie Hardaker (who else!)
21-5 and Colin Breakell 21-8.
Another 12-4 scoreline was reported at Dunwood Park B where visitors St Georges Square
B's six winners included Stewart Whittaker 21-2, Ray Brown 21-6 and Roy Ainscough 21-9 with Ray Morris 21-2
and Roy Gillibrand 21-8 replying for the home side.
North Chadderton could only manage 4 winners at third
placed Westwood Park for whom Kevin Flanagan 21-3 and Tim Day 21-5 were their best winners with skipper George Oliver 21-8
responding for North Chadd.
Falconers Arms had eight winners at home to Coalshaw Green Park three of which were
to single figures- Ian Brooks 21-2, George Rodgers 21-5 and Don Banks 21-9 whilst Jack Jones was CGP's
kitty winner 21-4.
Copster Park made the short journey up to Werneth Cricket and came away with 5 winners but not
the aggregate as Roy Last 21-5 and Ken Street 21-8 ensured the extra three points went to the cricket side.
Four
of Chadderton Hall Park B's six winners were to single figures as the beat visitors Higher Failsowrth Park B 9-6. The
four winners were Vic Greenhalgh 21-4, Brian Marr 21-6, Ray Norris 21-8 and Colin Holden 21-9.
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See new BCGBA tab for those rules we all argue about
Predictions
2012
So who’s going to win what this year? Last year all but one of my
predictions came true but this year I can see it being a bit trickier.
The A
Division has started with some strange results leaving teams in unfamiliar places after 5 games but I think that
over the full season I see Royton Cricket A retaining their title with their result at Hollinwood Cricket seen as a blip.
Runners  up will be between Friezland A and Springbank. Past under achievers Springbank have the addition of Grahame Flint (pictured)
to their ranks but I think when Friezland welcome back Geoff Ball they will just edge it.
There is
no doubt that the easiest to forecast this year is the B Division champions who will be Stanley Road B. The
millions that Harry Hollas has poured into players and the brewing facilities will ensure they win it by a country mile. Currently
lying second I predict that Stalybridge Rec will bounce straight back to the top division.
Division
C is fairly open at the moment and any one of the top four or five could win it. However, I’m going to stick
to the current leaders Springhead Libs B to take the top spot with Nimble Nook B as runners up. If Uppermill can sort out
their way form they could be a threat.
Another division difficult to predict, Division
D, but I will go for Alexandra Park to be champions and after years of threatening to go up I think North Chadderton
B will this year make it.
Clayton Cup winners- Stanley Road B. With the players and handicap they have they will walk
it assuming that their foreigners don’t go awol on Rochdale vets duties
| Division | Winners | Runners Up | | A | Royton Cricket A | Friezland
A | | B | Stanley Road B | Stalybridge Rec | | C | Springhead Libs B | Nimble Nook B | | D | Alexandra
Park | North Chadderton
B | | | | | Clayton Cup: Stanley Road B |
A number of teams are submitting results electronically saving 60p on postage each week- £6.60 on a season.
Can you help by submitting your opponents results if they don't have these facilities. Check with the opposing captain
if his team has a facility and if they don't then offer to do it for them. I know the League rules state that it
is the home team's responsibility to submit results but I am prepared to relax this rule to help save money (and also
to get results in early). Both teams should then retain their match results card.
Anybody got any objections then let
me know.
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