DELPH WILL field a new-look cricket team in the Huddersfield League’s Premiership as they look to improve on last summer’s fifth-place finish.
The club believes the capture of five players will compensate for the loss of Zimbabwean Kevin Hook, who was an EU amateur, and Pakistani batsman Irfan Zahoor after eight years at the club.
Andrew Gleave, a bowler who has played cricket for Cheshire and Cumbria, and middle-order batsman Johnny Forester have signed from Lancashire County League side Dukinfield.
Top-order batsman and leg spinner Greg Buckley and opening bowler Craig Fletcher arrive from Huddersfield League rivals Kirkburton while the final new boy is 18-year-old pace bowler Andrew Cadd from Saddleworth League side Austerlands.
FORMER GREENFIELD cricketer Kyle Hogg has been named in a star-studded MCC squad to play Durham in Abu Dhabi this month in a curtain raiser for the new season.
The 30-year-old Hogg, last season named Lancashire’s player of the year, will count Indian batting legend Virender Sehwag, Sri Lankan pair Prasanna Jayawardene and Muttiah Muralitharan and England spinner Monty Panesar as team mates.
IMRAN ASLAM has been appointed Saddleworth’s new professional as he succeeds long-serving Aussie Peter Skuse who becomes paid man at Micklehurst.
Aslam arrives with a proven record in the Saddleworth League where he has served previous at Glodwick, Uppermill and Austerlands.
He claimed 250 wickets in his three seasons at Glodwick, made 126 dismissals in Uppermill’s 2011 title-winning campaign and 91 wickets for Austerlands last summer.
CEC WRIGHT, who celebrated his 80th birthday in December, is set to continue his remarkable playing career.
The veteran bowler, who last summer claimed 52 wickets for Uppermill’s second team at an average of 13.4, is loosening up in the indoor nets at West End School, Stalybridge.
FRIARMERE ARE enjoying a successful run in the under-nine’s Oldham Indoor Cricket League.
They claimed their first win with a 29-run victory against Uppermill who made 213 in reply to Friarmere’s 242.
That was followed by a 42-run success against Royton Heroes and their most recent victory was a dramatic last-ball win against Greenfield.
Chasing 240 to win, Friarmere had it all to do needing to score 33 runs off the last two overs and 11 runs off the last three balls as Logan Shadford and Tom Wilkin saw them home.
Earlier Friarmere and Austerlands had fought out a thrilling tie. Friarmere needed to score 17 runs from the final over to win, but managed to score 16.
Austerlands came within a whisker of ending Heyside’s unbeaten record as they suffered a last-ball defeat. They needed one run from the final delivery to triumph, but Jack Attwater was run out.
MICKLEHURST, who have revamped their junior set up, are looking for new players.
They will field under-13 and 17 sides in the Saddleworth League while a newly formed under-11’s will play friendly fixtures.
Indoor nets take place at Saddleworth School each Tuesday between 7pm and 9pm.
There will also be a junior open day at the club on Saturday, March 29 from 10.30am. Further details from coach Kyle Clayton (0745 44401244).
