Cricket: Winning start to Scholes 'crusade' Drake's Conference: no opening joy for depleted Linthwaite.

Byline: By Paul Ibbotson

SCHOLES began their 2008 Conference crusade with a fairly efficient six-point win over a depleted Linthwaite away last Saturday afternoon in some very welcome spring sunshine.

The home side were without two late-arriving opening bowlers, who might well have been a handful on a track of uneven bounce on which no batsman ever looked entirely secure.

But, I take nothing away from the Linfit groundsman for, ingeneral, the Manchester Road ground looked well despite the inclement early spring we have all endured.

Linthwaite's new bar area is also a credit to the club, and it was a little sad to see those gathered within watching the cricket and with one eye on the TV sport suffer that most ignoble of fates, which is Coldwell taking control of the remote control.

Thus they were treated to the 4.50 greyhound race from Abu Dhabi rather than Final Score - the morale of this tale is to all Conference clubs - hide your remote control when entertaining Scholes this season, or suffer the consequences.

Because of their no-showers, Linthwaite only had 10 men, and a spirit of 'gung-ho' seemed to pervade their ranks as they were asked to bat first and approached the game as if it was a 20/20 fixture.

On such a tricky track this was akin to cricketing suicide and wickets inevitably fell at regular intervals. Only Ishan with 33 and Younis, whose undefeated 30 included three large maximums, hung around long enough to make a significant contribution.

One of Younis' sixes came within inches of decapitating an oblivious elderly bowler on the adjoining green.

For Scholes, Alsop knew he just had to put it on the spot to take his 3-29, and new pro Shoaib Khan displayed control, variety and turn with his off spin, a cocktail of attributes that should serve him well this summer as he took 2-15 in 5.3 overs.

Linthwaite closed on 138 all out in the 30th over, and an early finish beckoned over a tea dominated by the 3.40 from Uttoxeter.

Scholes certainly didn't have it all their own way in securing the six points. Noble stroked his first ball of the season through midwicket for four, and Smith looked reasonably secure as 50 came up in the 12th over, but then the Scholes skipper hit the admirable youngster Renwick straight to midwicket to fall for a forthright 30.

Shoaib Khan's batting debut was slightly less auspicious than his earlier bowling, as he fatally went back to a Renwick length ball which kept very low and skittled the Pakistani all o'er the shop.

Young Jamie Clayton took his skipper's words of advice on the way out to the wicket to heart - 'tha's plenty of time left' - and blazed his first ball through point for four, much to the amusement of the throng in front of the clubhouse, but when he was yorked for 11 by Younis soon after Scholes had a bit of a wobble on at 69-3.

Sixteen-year-old Tom Brook (pictured above) joined the resolute Smith, and the latest Brook family prodigy proceeded to play an innings of great maturity. By the time Smith went for a determined 52, Scholes were in site of victory as Brook defended stoutly and hit the odd bad ball to the boundary, and the winning post was reached in the 35th over as Brook opened his shoulders to smite four boundaries in eight balls to secure Scholes a welcome six point opener to the new season, and finish with a creditable 36 not out.

Over at Chapelgate Scholes 2nd XI entertained Kirkburton, and a fine match saw the visitors triumph by four runs in a thrilling finish.

Burton racked up 215-3 batting first, as Greaves made a cultured 90, Eastwood 41 and Smith an undefeated 40.

New recruits Jagger and Steers made a steady Scholes debut and Harry Bryson put in a good uphill spell into the wind.

Bryson made a splendid 52 in the Scholes reply, but at 124-6 a win looked a long way off for Nicky Brook's soldiers.

However, Matthew Boorman hit three sixes in his stoic undefeated 43, as did Scott Jagger whose late belligerent 30 almost took Scholes to an unlikely win, as they eventually secured a well deserved point finishing on 221-9.

The 2nd XI are at home to Broad Oak on Saturday and entertain Slaithwaite in the first round of the Paddock Shield on Sunday. Also - superb tributes band Lights Out play live at the club on Saturday night - not to be missed.

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HITTING OUT: Scholes young star Jamie Clayton hits out against Linthwaite