Magic Aggers Leads Heywood To Dale Victory

Andrea Agathangelou showed just why he is such a valuable commodity with a supreme performance at an appreciative Crimble on Saturday.

Heywood CC’s paid man entertained a big crowd with a magnificent century to inspire his side to a 18-run victory over close rivals Rochdale.

His stroke-laden 136 took Heywood to a formidable total of 243 all-out after they won the toss and elected to bat. Then he took 4-63 with his seemingly innocuous leggies to help restrict the visitors to 225-9, helping Heywood pick up four more points in their quest for a top-four finish in the Central Lancashire League.

Andreas Agathangelou celebrates a magnificent century against Rochdale

Heywood were missing three key players in Lee Grogan, Steve Wallwork and Robert Slawson. It left their bowling attack seriously depleted and thus the onus was on Aggers to set a target that the weakened Heywood attack could defend.

He certainly rose to the challenge. He dominated an opening partnership of 50 with Danny Pawson before the Heywood keeper/ batsmen was bowled for 17 and then, despite playing a major role in the run-out of Ross Zelem for a duck, took complete control.

Well supported by the determined Dale Latham, Aggers took heavy toll of anything offline. He was particularly dismissive of visiting pro Dieter Klein whenever he dropped short and on the leg side, and crashed shot after shot through the leg side.

He was dropped on 58 – a difficult chance on the leg-side boundary when he top-edged a sweep – but he dug deep and began to play all around the huge Crimble outfield before nudging the single he needed to bring up his ton to the acclaim of the Crimble cognoscenti.

He eventually fell trying one more big shot on the leg side for 136, which was scored off 132 ball and contained 13 fours and three sixes.

Heywood’s innings tailed off after he went, but his efforts ensured his side raced 243 before Humza Naeem was Heywood’s last man out.

Naeem and Hamish Paterson were charged with taking the new ball as Rochdale chased Heywood’s total, but the visitors were determined to push Heywood all the way.

Overseas amateur Greg Dawson played beautifully for his 79 and there were times when Rochdale looked like getting close to Heywood’s total.

But veteran left-armer Chris Kaye, with 3-71, and Aggers applied the brakes and, with the light dimming and the passionate home support in full flow, Rochdale were restricted to 225-9 and Heywood claimed four points and victory.

Andreas Athangelou celebrates a magnificent century against Rochdale

Going Tough For Seconds

Heywood Cricket Club’s second team found the going tough as they lost both their weekend matches to sides in the top three in the table.

They fell by 48 runs to an experienced Littleborough outfit containing several former first team players in a match reduced to 20 overs per side at Crimble.

The following day they gave runaway leaders Middleton a tough fight at Towncroft before going down by three wickets – rueing a couple of dropped catches.

Littleborough’s 127-8 off their 20 overs, with a top score of 26 by Neil Grindrod, came despite a 5-48 return off 10 overs by Rick Purser.

But Heywood were never really in contention in their reply faced by an opening attack of Brendan Miskella and Matty Collins, both ex-first team new ball bowlers.

The veteran Miskella claimed 3-38 and Collins 2-20 as Heywood closed on 79-8, with Mark Wright making 19 and Andy Dawson 14.

Heywood’s total of 156 at Middleton was probably around 60 runs short on one of the best wickets in the league.

They looked set to finish well short of that when they slipped to 75-7, despite a contribution of 36 by Wright, as Rick Valentine – another man who has featured regularly at first team level – took 3-28.

But skipper Roger Smethurst, 27, and Dave Hilton, 33 not out, put on 53 for the eighth wicket, then Hilton and Sean Burrill added 28 for the last wicket, 15-year-old left-arm spinner Matthew Foden claiming 3-28.

Middleton were in trouble in their reply at 44-4, Purser claiming 3-28, until Gareth Hughes led a home revival.

The fifth wicket put on 65 before Adam Fawcett claimed three quick scalps in a spell of 3-23, including two in two balls.

At 124-7, Middleton were wobbling. But Valentine, 11 not out, was dropped first ball and supported Hughes, 52 not out, in a match-winning stand of 33.