Make or break weekend for Barrow
Chorley
President Frank Henry makes a leaving presentation to
pro JJ Smuts |
RECORD breaking Chorley professional JJ Smuts
has been replaced by two top quality substitutes this
weekend.
Smuts broke the club's 23-year-old record for
the number of runs scored in a season by a professional at the
club at Lancaster last week. He soon scored the seven runs he
needed to overtake New Zealander Stuart Duff's 1987 total of
719 and went on to make 34 in Chorley's rain-affected draw
which was his last game for the club due to his departure this
week to join the Emerging South Africa side for their tour of
Australia.
Smuts, who also hit Chorley's record individual
score when making an undefeated 177 at Carnforth scored 747
league runs at 57.46 and currently leads the run charts ahead
of Darwen pro Mohammad Zaman Khan (738), St Annes' Atiq
Uz-Zaman (686), Netherfield pro Nick Kruger (641) and
Preston's Adam Parker (605).
However, Chorley have arranged top quality
replacements for this weekend's double header of Northern
League games. South African based all rounder Andrea
Agathagelou, the professional for Lancashire League side
Rishton, will deputise for Satruday's home derby against
league leaders Leyland.
Agathagelou is a regular with
Lancashire's second XI and sub-pro'd for Lancaster earlier
this season.
There is an added edge in that Leyland
professional Brett Pelser is Agathagelou's skipper at his
South African provincial side.
On Sunday, fellow South
African all rounder Hendro Puchert from Central Lancashire
League side Clifton will take the Chorley sub pro role for the
away clash at Preston.
Meanwhile, young all-rounder Louis Sweeney has
clinched the Chorley Cricket Club Player of the Month award
for June, sponsored by the White Hart, Chorley. Sweeney has
played an important part in Chorley second XI's surge to the
top of the table, and had impressed second XI skipper Ian
Mawdesley with important contributions in all areas of the
game.
"Louis has done well with both the bat and the
ball and also in the field and I have been delighted with his
efforts," said Mawdesley. "He may not have scored as many runs
as some of his colleagues but he bats lower down the order and
he has chipped in at vital times with wickets, runs and
catches. Louis clearly has a bright future ahead of him."
Sweeney scored 65 runs in June and also took eight wickets and
held four catches.
He follows something of a family dynasty as
father Alan has played at the club and still makes occasional
third team appearances while elder brother Sam represented
Chorley with distinction before recently moving on.
The player received his prize of a food and
drink voucher for the White Hart from the pub's landlord Paul
Mulhearn. "I'd like to congratulate Louis and it's great to
see yet another highly promising youngster enjoying success at
Chorley," he said. The Chorley CC Player of the Month award is
open to all players, with the winner being chosen by the
skippers of the club's senior sides.
Chorley's
Player of the Month, Louis Sweeney receives his award
from Paul Mulhearn |
In Division One leaders Leyland (played 16-186)
return from a cultural tour of Malta to face Chorley on
Saturday and then take on Lancaster at Fox Lane on Sunday.
Leyland lost their three-match series against a Maltese sports
club 2-1, the last game by ten wickets during their week-long
stay on the island.
Barrow (16-154) face what skipper Daryl Wearing
describes as a 'make or break' weekend in their title chase as
they host reigning champions St Annes (16-160) on Saturday
before travelling to fourth-placed Blackpool (17-141) on
Sunday. Jon Miles, Greg Platten and Graham Dawson, all
Cumberland CCC regulars will miss the county's three-day game
at Slough against Bucks starting on Sunday in order to play
for their club. Charles Boucher returns for St Annes after
missing last week's defeat at Darwen.
St Annes pro Dinuka Hettiarachchi leads the
wicket-taking chart with 62 including no less than ten
five-wicket hauls. His fellow Sri Lankan countryman, the
Barrow pro Pasan Wanasinghe has taken 54 wickets and Kendal
pro Ross McMillan 42. Darwen's Kamran Anwar and Lancaster's
Ben Simm are locked on 36 wickets apiece in the chase for the
Castle Bowling Award with Kendal spinner Chris Miller on
33.
Darwen's
Kamran Anwar has taken 36 wickets so far this
season |
Barrow vice-captain Chris D'Leny is leading the
pack for the Malcolm Beaty wicketkeeping award with 23 victims
behind the timbers, one ahead of Leyland's Matthew Watkinson
with Darwen's Jordan Clarke and John Huck (Netherfield) tied
on 20 apiece.
Latham Baxendale Twenty20 Cup holders
Netherfield are at Fleetwood on Saturday before entertaining
Lancashire Colts. Sixth-placed Morecambe will be without Ikram
Ullah on county duty on Sunday against Carnforth but
wicketkeeper Lewis Edge will be available after football
commitments.
St Annes
veteran David Bartholomew |
In the Division Two game of the weekend Chorley
(16-149) are at second placed Leyland (14-143) on Saturday
before hosting sixth-placed Preston on Sunday.
Leyland travel to reigning champions Lancaster,
currently in fifth place, on Sunday.
Third-placed Blackpool (15-143) aim to make up
for their blank Saturday when they play Barrow at Ernest Pass
on Sunday.
Fourth-placed Darwen (16-135) are at home to
Morecambe before travelling to Fleetwood
Fixtures
Saturday 31st July
Division One
(Round
18 of 26)
1-00pm start
Barrow v St Annes
Chorley v Leyland
Fleetwood v Netherfield
Kendal v Carnforth
Lancaster v Preston
Morecambe v Darwen
Blackpool no game
Division Two
(Round 17 of 26)
start 1-00pm
Carnforth v Kendal
Darwen v Morecambe
Leyland v Chorley
Netherfield v Fleetwood
Preston v Lancaster
St Annes v Barrow
Blackpool no game
Fixtures
Sunday 1st August
Division One
(Round 19
of 26)
1-00pm start
Blackpool v Barrow
Carnforth v Morecambe
Darwen v Fleetwood
Leyland v Lancaster
Netherfield v Lancashire Colts
Preston v Chorley
St Annes v Kendal
Division Two
(Round 19 of 26)
1-00pm start
Barrow v Blackpool
Chorley v Preston
Fleetwood v Darwen
Kendal v St Annes
Lancaster v Leyland
Morecambe v Carnforth
Netherfield no game
