CRICKET - RADCLIFFE

RADCLIFFE blitzed Middleton on Saturday at the Racecourse, with Aussie batsman Bruce Cruse and paid man Pasan Wanansinghe hitting runs for fun.

The home side hit 225-4, with the Moonrakers restricted to 178 in reply, thanks mainly to Toby McLean's 5-35, with victory ensuring Radcliffe remain mid-table.

"It was an excellent win," beamed skipper Graeme Simpson.

"Like us they have suffered from losing players and apart from four or five they are a very young and inexperienced side.

"They relied very much on their pro, Sajith Fernando, but if he doesn't get 100 they struggle, especially if they are chasing.

"We batted very well, Bruce had 88 and Pasan 78 and I went in at four and hit 39 not out.

"They put 130 on in quite good time, but we got their overseas amateur out third ball.

"Their pro was then always trying to hit boundaries, he obviously doesn't like running. After we got Ryan and their skipper John Punchard out, the pro who had about 60 at that point knew he had to do something dramatic.

"So we just dropped a few out on the boundary and invited him to knock it over them and after about three overs he hit one straight down deep square leg's throat and it was game over."

Indeed, it was the Moonrakers' tactics as much as Radcliffe's dominant batsmen that decided the outcome of the game.

"They helped us to win," admitted Simpson: "they were trying to hit unnecessary shots. They had plenty of overs left and they could have hit five an over without a problem, but I suppose the pressure we exerted made then panic.

"Their pro had done the the hitting to get them within striking range but good field positioning and bowling turned the screw."

With the ball Wanansinghe, and especially the promising West Indian Toby McLean attacked the Middleton order with pace and guile.

"Toby did very, very well, and there's a possibly he may get a game with Northants later in the season if he continues to inprove and impress.

"He was a bit raw last season but this time around he's still charging in at 110 mph but he's thinking more, he's not banging it in short. If he's not getting wickets he's not conceding runs."

Radcliffe opener Phil Hayes went for a duck with the score on just nine, but then when paid man Wanansinghe joined Cruse at the crease the two combined to unleash a run-fest on the unsuspecting Moonrakers.

Between them they put on a mighty 161 before the Aussie was caught by Hughes off a Punchard delivery for a top score of 88.

Wanansinghe was then joined by Simpson and they pushed the score on to 181 before the pro was adjudged leg before off another Punchard ball.

Simpson and Farnworth broke the 200 barrier with another 23 before the latter went lbw to Fernando.

McClean then joined his captain at the crease and they steered Radcliffe safely to 225 off their allotted 50 overs to leave the Moonrakers with a steep hill, if not a mountain to climb. Punchard led the visitors bowling with 2-75.

In reply Middleton got off to the worst possible start, with overseas amateur Kumar out for a duck on the third delivery, caught by Simpson off a McLean ball

His opening partner Fernando picked up the slack with Jimmy Ryan and the pair put on 102 before Ryan was claimed by Simpson again, this time off a Stu Kelley delivery for 38.

After Dugew went for a duck, Fernando was joined by the experienced Punchard and together they pushed the visitors' total up to 149, before Punchard became Simpson's hat-trick catch, off a Wanansinghe ball.

Fernando went shortly afterwards after top-scoring with 89 and was the end of Middleton's catch-up effort, as McLean proved lethal, emerging with an impressive 5-35, as Radcliffe grabbed victory and five points.

This Saturday the Racecoursemen travel to Glebe Street to take on Crompton, and Simpson expects another victory

"Crompton are a very strange side, very hot and cold," he said.

"Batting-wise they rely very much on the pro, Saeed Anwar.

"Bowling-wise it's the pro again and one or two others.

"If you get at them early on they've not a lot to fall back on, so I would back us to win again, so long as we get at them and make it happen."

The 2nd XI could not repeat the success and its 179-7 (Curtis 51) was beaten by Middleton's 185-6. Then, in the Burton Cup at Milnrow on Sunday, it was another close run thing, as they were just edged out with a score of 197-9 (Bowman 46) pipped by the home side's 198-5.