24-05-2025
Plenty more to come from Tonge, insists skipper Lord
Tonge have started the new season with a bang - but captain Connor Lord believes there is more to come from his side as they challenge towards the top of the Premiership table in the Anthony Axford North West Cricket League.
Tonge won a local derby away at Eagley last Saturday by 68 runs, their third win from four so far.
Sri Lankan professional Hashan Dumindu stood out with 88 not out in 205-8 before he took the new ball and claimed three wickets with his off-spin in Eagley's 137-9.
All-rounder Alex Rodzoch, who returned to the club over the winter from Farnworth, struck four times against an Eagley side who are bottom of the table with one win in four so far in 2025.
Lord's Tonge (30 points) now sit fourth in the top-flight table, 14 points adrift of leaders Read.
'It was a very good win,' said seamer Lord.
'I think we make it hard for ourselves sometimes away at Eagley. We've had a couple of wins here and there, but last year I think it was second to last game and we couldn't chase 70 or 80-odd against them.
'So it was a big win for us against a local rival, but on the other hand there's also parts of our game as a team and individually that we need to improve on even though we're picking up wins.'
One of those areas Lord pinpointed was their fielding, while you look at Saturday and see that from 101-2 in the 27th over, they only posted 205-8. And that came after they were 146-8.
However, they are winning matches, which is the most important thing.
'If you're struggling in certain areas and losing, you end up scratching around,' continued the skipper, who claimed one wicket on Saturday.
'But if you're picking up wins and you still know where you need to improve as a team, then it's something you can jobs" target="_blank">work on from a position of strength.'
Lord described the return of Rodzoch to Castle Hill as 'massive', and it's good to see the club thriving again after a difficult period approximately a decade ago when they were struggling at the foot of the Bolton League.
'Obviously, on the pitch and off the pitch, with his experience, he's brilliant for us,' said the skipper. 'We want Alex to get us runs at the top order, which he has done in a few of the games, and he's very handy with the ball as well.
'Over the last eight-10 years, we've strengthened the club back up, and we've sort of built on it each year as well.
'Keeping Hashan with us has been a big thing. It's his fourth season with us. Getting Justin (Gilliland, South African overseas amateur) back this year, too. They're two really, really good lads as well as very good cricketers.
'But all of the lads want to play for this club.
'Anyone who's doing well gets interest from other clubs, but they 100 per cent want to play for Tonge.'
So what about aims for 2025? Is a top-four position where Lord and Tonge expected to be at this stage before a ball was bowled back in mid-April?
'Last year, we finished sixth and fell off a bit towards the end,' added Lord.
'So I think the next step for us would be to push for that top four, which would guarantee us a spot in the Lancs Knockout.
'But we're just going to take it a game at a time and try and improve on the things that we didn't do great each week and hopefully keep picking up enough wins to get us there.'
Today's fixtures: Premiership - Blackrod v Atherton, Farnworth v Eagley, Little Lever v Farnworth Social Circle, Lostock v Padiham, Read v Kearsley, Tonge v Salesbury; Championship - Baxenden v Astley Bridge, Brinscall v Earby, Cherry Tree v Oswaldtwistle Immanuel, Ribblesdale Wanderers v Barnoldswick, Walkden v Whalley.
