NEWLY promoted Denton West are flying high as they sit top of the Greater Manchester Cricket League’s premier division after five matches.
It was a weekend to remember for West as they won by nine wickets at Astley & Tylsdesley in the league on Saturday (May 21) to maintain the perfect start to their league campaign.
The hosts were restricted to 153-9 before West hit 155-1 in reply, opener Andy O’Brien making 62 not out.
That was followed the next day by an emphatic 247-run victory against Brooksbottom in the Derek Kay Cup as it has been a dream start to the new campaign for the Dane Bank club.
West amassed a remarkable 375-6 from their 45 overs, professional Rohail Nazir hitting 122 and Uzzair Shah 128.
And the feel-good factor also extends to the second team which is top of division 2B with a perfect record from its first five matches.
That underlines the strength of depth as the second team plays in the fifth tier and are up against many first teams, including neighbours Denton and Micklehurst.
Cricket manager Andy O’Brien, while delighted, is not getting carried away.
He said: “It has been a great start by both teams, but it is only early days.
“The successes are down to a lot of hard work, starting in pre-season with practice.
“We strengthened the team after winning promotion and the new players have settled in well.
“We need to maintain the momentum in what is a competitive premier division.”
O’Brien pointed to this Saturday’s home league game against Clifton as being another stern challenge as the visitors will have former Lancashire player Gareth Cross in their side.
He put the first team’s great start down to a great team effort, though he says Jordan Williams has been bowling particularly well.
“When needed someone has put up their hands with a 50 or great catch. Everybody has played their part,” he explained.
And for the second team, Matt Burton is in a rich vein of form with half centuries in each of his last three games with home-grown Harry Welsby regularly among the wickets.
“We have 11 really strong players in the second team with most good enough to get into most other club’s first teams,” he said.
These are exciting times for West who also have plans for a new clubhouse which could cost £400,000 which would be a huge investment.
But with 500 members and a 500 Club bringing in more than £10,000 in little over a year since it was launched, it is a valuable revenue earner.
West’s neighbours DENTON ST LAWRENCE have also started their premier division campaign well with four wins and one loss as they sit third in the table.
There has also been a successful start for FLOWERY FIELD in premier two. They have won four of their five games to lie third.
And newly promoted DUKINFIELD and MOTTRAM are holding their own in the championship, the third tier of the GMCL.
Both clubs have won two and lost three to occupy seventh and eighth places respectively.
Relegated STAYLEY have made a steady start to their division one campaign, the fourth level, with three wins and two losses to be seventh.
And one step down, MICKLEHURST are seventh with two wins and three losses while DENTON are ninth with one win and four losses.