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2 days ago
- Sport
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‘Unbelievable' Camerons are hailed as Lever's Hamer heroes
Captain Josh Gent hailed Little Lever's match-winning Camerons as 'unbelievable' after the two opening centurions helped the club win a first Hamer Cup title in more than 50 years on Sunday. Little Lever beat Padiham by 104 runs in a run-filled final at Read, with Cameron Murray and overseas amateur Ryleigh Cameron to the fore. Murray top-scored with 108 off 61 balls and Cameron added 104 off 101 as the Bolton side amassed a daunting 40-over total of 336-4. In defence, the latter's seam accounted for 4-44 from eight overs as Padiham were bowled out for 232 in 32 overs. The Australian OA was named as the player-of-the-match. 'It was unbelievable how well they played,' said Gent, of the two Australians. Murray is an Anglo-Aussie, while Cameron is fully-fledged. Gent continued: 'Especially on a big occasion, a big crowd watching and all that. 'A lot of times, people can crumble under that kind of pressure, but it was the other way with those two. They took it all in, really, and had a brilliant day. 'They're both in their first season with us. I think that was Cameron's third or fourth century of the season, and Ryleigh's been in good form as well. 'He got 92 when we beat Padiham in the league the weekend before last.' The pair shared 186 inside 22 overs after Gent had elected to bat first at Read, which is a notorious batter's paradise with a good pitch and short boundaries. 'I spoke to Will Wrathall (Read captain) before the final,' revealed Gent. 'And he said to me, 'If you get 270, don't think the game's done because it can be so difficult to defend at Read'. 'If someone had offered me 336 off 40 overs beforehand, I would have snapped your hand off. I think anyone would. But we were well aware that there was still work to do.' Padiham's local professional Iftikhar Naseer blazed 85 off 27 balls with 12 sixes, including reaching 50 off only 16 balls, to keep the game alive as he took the reply to 184-4 in the 22nd over. 'Credit to their pro, he smashed it,' said Gent. 'It was some of the biggest hitting I've ever seen. But he had a lot of work to do. 'When they were 160-4, halfway there, he had about 70. And I was thinking, 'He's still got to get another 80 here at least'. 'Yes, it was nervous times, but we just had to ride the storm. Thankfully, we did. 'It was a great day and couldn't have gone any better.' When Naseer fell caught as one of Cameron's four wickets, Padiham fell to 184-5 in the 22nd over and, in the end, lost their last six wickets for only 48 runs to hand Little Lever a first Hamer Cup title since 1972. They also became the first team to win all three main titles in the NWCL, having won the Premiership league and T20 Birtwistle Cup double in 2023. 'It's a massive achievement and great for the club that we've won everything and the first to do it,' said Gent, whose side have also qualified for next year's Lancashire Knockout Cup as a result of this triumph. 'But it will be forgotten about pretty quickly. So we've got to enjoy it now but reset, start planning and probably make more of a push to win the league next year I would have thought. 'We've probably been a little bit inconsistent in the league (fourth place at present). 'But, as far as cups have gone, it's shown we can rise to the occasion. We've won the Hamer Cup and reached the T20 final. We were in last year's Hamer Cup final as well. We're definitely a force to be reckoned with.' This was Gent's first Hamer Cup title, but he said: 'I was more happy for the club itself. There are a lot of people who put the hard work behind the scenes. 'People who turn up and play perhaps don't realise how much money it costs to put a game of cricket on, what goes on behind the scenes to allow us to have a professional, an overseas amateur, a good side and everything else that goes with it. Good facilities, nice ground, everything. 'Yes, I'm pleased to have won it because I'd never done it before. But they're the people I'm most pleased for.' Little Lever fielded a sub-pro on Sunday in South African Diego Rosier, who contributed 91 not out off 55 balls and a wicket. Their regular pro, Muhammad Junaid, had returned to Pakistan a fortnight ago. They will have Jurie Snyman (Accrington) for the remainder of the season. 'We're going to have a look around now for next year's pro,' said Gent. 'We'll have a look and see who stays around for the longest and probably go for someone like that. It would be good to have a pro who can stay for as long as possible.' And in terms of the possibility of their final star Cameron returning for a second season as overseas amateur, Gent added: 'If he wants to come back, we'd definitely have him. The ball's in his court. 'I'm pretty sure he'd want to come back. He's said he wants to, so fingers crossed we can get it sorted.'
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Little Lever reach semi finals but rain halts other ties
Last year's beaten finalists Little Lever are into the semi-finals of the Anthony Axford North West Cricket League's Hamer Cup after a pulsating three-wicket win over Tonge during a weather-disrupted Sunday of action as they chased just 97. Captain Josh Gent and co were the only side to make it through, with the other three ties either not starting or starting and not finishing because of rain. Advertisement That means the reserve day of Sunday, July 6 will come into play for Earby versus Blackrod, Ribblesdale Wanderers versus defending champions Read and Brinscall against Padiham. The latter was the only last-eight tie not to start. The other two matches will restart from where they were halted. For Little Lever, however, they can put their feet up on the first Sunday in July and wait for the semi-final draw to take place. They bowled Tonge out for 96 inside 34 overs, the hosts indebted to a superb 4-14 from eight overs for Pakistani professional Muhammad Junaid, who bowls left-arm spin. Andy Flear and Cameron Murray also struck twice apiece to rout a Tonge side with only two batters making it beyond 10. South African overseas amateur Justin Gilliland opened with 32 and Sri Lankan pro Hashan Dumindu made 22. Advertisement In fact, Tonge lost their last nine wickets for the addition of only 32 runs from 64-1. Australian OA Ryleigh Cameron then set the chase off nicely with an opening 39 off 25 balls, including two sixes. But he was one of six wickets to fall for 46, from 45-1, to give Tonge a slither of a chance at 91-7. However, Flear, from number eight in the order, ensured Little Lever got over the line in only the 16th over of the chase, hitting a six and the winning boundary in 13 not out off 10 balls. Championship side Earby will resume their quarter-final on 64-2 from 16 overs chasing 225 at home to reigning Premiership champions Blackrod, who totalled 224-5 from their 40 overs. Advertisement Thushendra De Zoysa top-scored for Blackrod with a measured 69, while Luke Hipgrave struck twice for Earby. That Sri Lankan pro Dunith Jayathunga is unbeaten on 21 in the early stages of the Earby chase will give them confidence that a shock is on the cards. The other game which started, between Ribblesdale Wanderers and defending champions Read, is a clash between the current league leaders in both the Championship and Premiership divisions respectively. Visitors Read have the definite advantage having posted 261-7 from 40 overs before taking two early wickets. Wanderers will resume in just under a fortnight on 47-2 after 10 overs. Advertisement Read's commanding total was achieved thanks to opener and captain Will Wrathall, who made 87 off 107 balls with three sixes and Sri Lankan pro Sehan Weerasinghe, who top-scored a brutal 94 off 61 with four sixes included. They shared a third-wicket 135 from 46-2. Wanderers will, like Earby, take heart from the fact their pro is unbeaten at the crease - Sri Lankan Heshan Dhanushka having 11 to his name.
