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Mujtaba steers Norden home

Les Barlow
16/ 9/2003

A STUNNING catch by Norden professional Asif Mujtaba and an equally brilliant pouch by Middleton's Jimmy Ryan were the highlights of the curtain-closing match at Woodhouse Lane on Sunday.

Middleton might have fancied their chances after scoring 165 in an innings that lost its way somewhat after a sparkling 71 from opener Kevin Dufeu, especially with having West Indian pace bowler Joe Grant waiting to unleash a battery at the Norden batsmen. But it soon became obvious that their score was way to low as Nick Brierley and Asif Mujtaba pushed Norden towards a possible third 10-wicket win in four games. Their partnership of 138 was ended when Mujtaba tried to drive a delivery from Nigel Doyle and saw Ryan take a magnificent diving one-handed catch.

Mujtaba, who scored 69, had been particularly severe on Grant who came up with bouncers, a beamer and plenty of poor deliveries as he seemed to lose his cool after being driven for three fours in one over by Mujtaba.

Doyle had further success when he trapped Brierley leg before the ball after the opener had secured his half century, and Doyle captured a third wicket when Leon Wild launched a space rocket and saw it come down into the hands of the bowler. But the end came quickly as Grant took more punishment, this time from Paul Carroll who bludgeoned a lightning 18. Alex Tattersall rounded it off with a straight four off Doyle.

Earlier in the day Middleton had made a confident start. Steve Davey and Dufeu took the score to 36 before Davey was caught at backward point by Mujtaba for 13. Ryan joined Dufeu and they pushed the score to 87.

It was at that stage that Ryan must have felt the rate needed upping as he went down the wicket, missed the delivery from Carroll, and was stumped by Stu Fern standing in behind the stumps for Nick Brierley who had a finger injury. Punchard was caught by Wild on 114, Buckley was run out on 135 when he found himself at the same end as Dufeu, Royle bagged a duck on 136, and Tommy Astley fell to a catch by Wild on 150.
Dufeu took his score to 71 before falling to a brilliant rolling catch by Mujtaba at deep mid-on.

Graham managed only three, Grant was bowled to become Carroll's fourth victim, and Doyle was caught by Alex Tattersall.

Middleton were all out for 165 instead of the 200 plus score which they had promised at one stage, and that in the face of a very limited Norden attack.