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Still plenty to play for

Dave Appleton
12/ 9/2003

THERE'LL be some who say that because the race for the CLL title is all done and dusted this weekend's curtain-closing double-header is merely of academic interest. Nothing could be further from the truth.

For there is still a lot of local pride to play for with Littleborough aiming to clinch a top five place, and Norden going for three, possibly even four, wins in a row without losing a wicket.

For newly crowned champions Rochdale the challenge is a statistical one. If they can achieve a maximum points win at Walsden on Sunday they will equal their best-ever CLL return in a season, 109 points in 1997 when they finished 14 points clear of Littleborough, although they played 30 games that year, compared with only 28 now. Their best return since the league was reduced to 15 teams was 108 points in 2001 when Middleton were runners-up.

But one record they can achieve, so long as they avoid defeat, is the least number of losses in a season, one. Historians would have to go back a very long way indeed to find a team who could better that.

Rochdale introduce yet another promising youngster into their team. Ian Helliwell is only 15 but mature for his age and has impressed coaching staff with his attitude for the club's junior teams during the season.

Standing in the way of a Littleborough top five finish with a flourish are Royton (Saturday at Hare Hill) and Unsworth (Sunday at Pole Lane).

Norden's bid to go into the CLL record books for the most consecutive 10-wicket wins will get a rigorous examination at Crompton on Saturday, while on Sunday they round off what's generally been a less than impressive campaign with a home match against Middleton. A big Norden win is not expected on Saturday, especially with Simon North missing from the ranks again, but it could be on the following day against a Middleton side which seemed to have given up the ghost weeks ago.

When Milnrow's statisticians look back on 2003 they will highlight the team's commendable achievement in reaching the Wood Cup final, particularly for their disposal of both Littleborough and Rochdale on the way there. But generally, despite the occasional fine victory, their league form has been patchy.

Even so a top 10 finish is just within their grasp if they can overcome Walsden at Ladyhouse on Saturday and Radcliffe at the Racecourse on Sunday - and Crompton and Oldham both end the weekend pointless.