Rain washes away promotion dream

11:34am Monday 18th August 2008

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Burnage 118 Sale 105-8

Match drawn

RAIN prevented the completion of Sale’s game against Burnage on Saturday with both sides frustratingly close to victory.

In the event the points were shared at eight each and, after a strong rally in the second half of the season, dogged by bad weather, Sale’s prospects of promotion have now virtually disappeared.

They stand 38 points behind the team in the second promotion place with just four games left.

Burnage won the toss and elected to bat first, a decision that looked suspect when they lost two wickets in the first four overs to Sale’s skipper, Mike Halkon, who bowled both impressively and economically in his 14 overs spell.

Sale maintained the pressure through John Taylor - who also featured in a direct-hit run out from the point boundary - and Rick Halkon and after 90 minutes play the home side had struggled to 60-6.

Former Sale player Ul-haq and Mahmood then featured in a strong counter-attack, putting on 66 in just 11 overs with a flurry of sixes from both batsmen.

But once Mahmood was bowled by Taylor in his second spell, the home side’s tail subsided quickly for the addition of just two more runs to 118.

M Halkon finished with 4-22 and Taylor took 3-18, leaving Sale with 60 overs to reach their target.

With rain forecast, Sale needed a good start in their reply but Dan Halkon fell lbw in the second over.

Lee and Hampton took the score to 40 before the latter was bowled and then Lee fell to a fine slip catch for 20.

The in-form Taylor started positively cracking a couple of early boundaries but was then well taken at short cover for 19 to dent Sale’s ambitions, heightened when another wicket fell next ball.

From 76-6 skipper Mike Halkon led Sale nearer their target but the Burnage bowlers kept up the pressure aided by a slow over rate in increasingly threatening conditions.

Halkon lost two partners before the 100 was reached, including his brother Rick who developed a back strain and was virtually immobile when falling lbw two balls later.

At 105-8 the umpires took off the players as the rain fell and frustratingly there was no chance of returning despite there being 24 overs still left and both sides well-placed to force a result.