Wickets and runs for Andy Dawson

Sorry it’s taken an age, but here’s Roger Smethurst’s review of the second team season.

With presentation evening coming up, it’s not a bad time to reminisce on what was a great season for the seconds.

Heywood seconds started 2012 in uncharted territory with its youngest looking squad  in the last 10 years. With club stalwart Mark Wright having announced his retirement and veteran all-rounder Dave Hilton having moved to the Middle East due to work commitments, a great opportunity was available for younger players to force their way into the side.

Having started the season focused on the need to finish in the top eight to ensure top-flight cricket next season it would be fair to say that the seconds surpassed all expectations. If the team had been offered a top three finish and an appearance in the Burton Cup Final. the team would have seen that as a successful year. However, although results are important for the second team equally as important is the need to produce the next generation of young players for the club.

A great season for Rick Purser

The team started the season with a number of victories against teams that had occupied similar mid-table league positions as ourselves in the past few seasons and this seemed to breed confidence. Despite having lost Dale Latham to the first team after only the first match of the season we were boosted only a couple of weeks later by the return to the Crimble of Sam Byrne, who announced his return by helping to bowl Royton out in a low-scoring match at their ground.

Throughout the season it was apparent that the team did not possess a top five batsman capable of putting together regular scores of 50+. On hard, dry wickets the batsman appeared more comfortable and this may help to explain some of the problems given the wet summer we have had. While Simon Dawson, myself, Wes Hunt and Phil Dawson played valuable innings a lack of consistency was a key problem for the team and all of these batsman need to find a way to score more consistently on wet or damp wickets.

The team  were often too reliant upon the middle order and it was pleasing to see Andy Dawson back to the form that he had shown in 2010 that had helped him force his way into the first team. Andy scored just short of 500 runs in only 16 games for the team and proved himself capable of scoring in almost all circumstances. It was just reward that after the first two months of the season he went into the first team and he was undoubtedly a massive factor towards the end of the season when he returned to the side continuing the push for honours.

Other key batsmen within the middle order were Chris Booth and Adam Fawcett. They both scored nearly 250 runs and regularly helped get the team out of trouble. The two of them were always looking to score, were positive in their running between the wickets and helped put fielding sides under pressure.

With the ever dependable, if ageing,  Rick Purser continuing to “spearhead”  the bowling attack and Simon and Andy Dawson both fit after last season’s injuries, bowling appeared to be the team’s strength. As the season went on this proved to be the case with early wickets picked up in almost every match and no team ever really putting a big score on the board. The attack was strengthened as the season went on with the addition of Sam Byrne, Curtis Maguire and Lee Grogan.

In almost every match Heywood had five “genuine” bowlers and this somewhat restricted the opportunites for others, most notably the  Fawcett brothers, Adam and Dominic. Purser again had a great season with 67 wickets at an average of just 10 and with Andy Dawson and Byrne both taking 30 wickets and Simon Dawson and Grogan taking over 20 wickets the team was rarely short of bowling.

Heywood certainly led the way in the league for its fielding standards and opposition captains often commented upon the high standards. With a younger side the team were more mobile and this in turn helped the bowlers build pressure. Scott Jones started the season as wicket keeper and as the season progressed he developed into the role, gaining in confidence and playing his part in some key dismissals. He also showed himself to be a useful late order batsmen and the partnerships between himself and Rik Purser, which at times proved crucial, also provided comical with players at opposite stages of their cricketing careers.

Those who watched the seconds saw a team throughout the season who never gave up a belief that they could win a match. This was probably best seen in the first round of the Burton Cup when having posted a below total of 171, Clifton posted 116 without losing a wicket. The team never gave up home and ended up winning with runs to spare. Almost every round of the cup proved to be a tight match, none more so than the rearranged semi final against Walsden that ran to three days. It was then something of an anticlimax when the team lost the final. However the match was a great experience for all those involved and can only serve to benefit the clubs younger players in the future.

The season can only be seen as a successful one for the team – even if the championship just slipped from the team’s grasp. It was great to see Andy Dawson returning to something like the form he is capable of and he must try to establish himself as a first team regular next season. Simon Dawson and Wes Hunt showed glimpses of their talents and need to build on this season and play with more consistency next season.

Sam Byrne now needs to move on to produce more consistant performances and start to push the ageing first XI spinners. It was pleasing to see Dom Fawcett and Ben Thulborn force their way into the team towards the end of the season and Dominic’s 50 at Clifton showed great promise for next season.

With these two and Scott Jones, Heywood have three players under 17 who have a genuine chance to progress in the second team next year.