XANDER Selby has created a piece of cricketing history at Delph.
The 17-year-old from Springhead is believed to have become the youngest first-team captain in the club’s history.
Xander, a bowler who can bat, took charge of the side for the final two games in the orange division of the Drakes Huddersfield Cricket League.
And in the last game of the side, Xander played a starring role in the three-wicket win against Scholes.
Xander juggled his bowlers to great effect as Scholes were dismissed for 130, despite an unbeaten 76 from Bradley Barkhead.
And it was Xander’s younger brother Lucas, 14, who finished with the best bowling figures of three wickets for 17 runs. Both are pupils at Oldham Hulme Grammar.
Delph won with 11 balls to spare making 134 for seven, Xander helping Delph over the line with an unbeaten 47.
Xander was following in the footsteps of dad Jon who captained Ashton for many years in the CLL.
Jon said: “Xander sometimes asks me for advice, but I am a firm believe in learning from your own mistakes and captaining in your own style.
“I left it for him to get on with it himself and he had some experienced players around him who supported him.
“The challenge was to impose his thought and views.”
Xander volunteered to take over the captaincy when Alex Peters was unavailable for the last two matches of the season.
Jon continued: “To his credit, Xander put up his hand and volunteered. And he really enjoyed it, winning one and losing one.
“He had a good captain’s knock to get Delph over the line for victory against Scholes.”
Despite his age, Xander is already a veteran of 100 first-team games for Delph, having made his senior debut aged 14.
Xander’s only disappointment was missing out on the chance to play for North of England Under-17s.
He was named in the squad but was excluded from playing because of the high Covid-19 rates in Oldham
Lucas, 14, meanwhile, made his first team bow for Delph in 2020 playing half a dozen times.
Delph’s first team finished seven in the 10 strong orange division, the top one in the campaign which was shortened through Covid-19.
They won two of their nine games, lost three with the remaining four abandoned.
Delph’s second team finished third in green division which comprised seven first teams and three seconds.
They were in line for the title until they suffered back-to-back defeats in their last two matches.
Club official Les Harrison, the club’s representative on the Huddersfield League’s executive committee, described it as a development season.
“We blooded a lot of new young players kin both teams and they gained valuable experience,” he explained.
Les pointed to the Xander and Lucas Selby, quick bowler Isaac Jones, top-order batsman Harry Partington and batsman Jack Hague as examples of youngsters who have benefited.
He also praised the maturity Xander displayed as captain.
• A Delph second-team player has been banned for the opening three weeks of the 2021 season for his involvement in an incident which saw the second team match against Kirkby Rose Hill being abandoned.
Another Delph player was charged and was formally warned and cautioned regarding their misconduct.
The Huddersfield League’s disciplinary sub-committee decided not to take any action against the Delph captain.
One Birkby Rose Hill player received a one-week ban and no action will be taken against their captain.
The disciplinary sub-committee ruled: “Both clubs and captains were reminded about the duty and requirement to take control and have responsibility for the conduct, behaviour and actions of their players during future matches.”
The identities of the punished players have not been revealed by the Huddersfield League.
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