Littleborough make light work of Hassy

TWO comprehensive wins, just three wickets lost, 20 wickets taken, 24 points in the bag The Boys from the Boro continued their march up the ECB Premier League table as the season reaches the half way stage of the campaign.

- BRENDAN MISKELLA & RICHARD PARTINGTON

Whilst Lowerhouse may just be too far out in front for Littleborough to catch, the lads are more than capable of finishing second, especially if they keep up this form.

Littleborough simply brushed Haslingden aside, just as they had at Rochdale the previous week.

Haslingden won the toss and quite rightly decided to bat on a glorious day at glorious Hare Hill.

Ben Williamson and Lewis Willman, the left arm ginger duo, opened up tidily and it was young Benjamin who made the breakthrough, bowling Matt Sudworth for 5 with the score on 15.

This is when the visitors enjoyed their best spell of the game as Neil Brand and skipper Matt Griffin quite effortlessly took the score to 85 just before drinks when Griffin quite innocuously chipped the ball back to Bryce Parsons for a solid 40 that included 5 boundaries.

That, however, was as good as it got for the visitors as Ryan Miskella pictured and in particular Parsons tightened the screw and never ever let Haslingden off the hook.

Parsons dismissed Lucas Bargh who went to cut and was comprehensively bowled, 93-3.

Miskella then fortunately dismissed Sean Hunsley when he was stumped by Matt Hernon when the balled bounced back on to the stumps off the keeper's pads 94-4.

That soon became 95-5 when Leighton Friend was trapped LBW to Parsons.

Next to go was Connor Reed who was adjudged LBW to Miskella six down with 110 on the board.

Watching on from the other was visiting professional Brand, who had effortlessly coasted to a well deserved half century. Worse was to follow as Joe Hayton was bowled neck and crop by Parsons 127/7. Brand, sensing that he could be left high and dry by his teammates' inability to stick around with him, started to take a couple of risks and was then dismissed by Miskella as he tried to reverse lap the home skipper and was caught by Niall Boyle at short third man.

131-8 with a dozen overs left, yes a dozen overs left.