Chris Laker says Delph have no intention of letting the Drakes League title slip away now they’ve won the T20 Trophy and All Rounder Sykes Cup.
The Lancashire prospect skippered Delph to victory in the Total Indoor Cricket Solutions T20 against Broad Oak and, handing the armband back to Andy Gleave for the 50-over stuff, scored a match-winning 69 not out to scupper Shepley at Honley.
“This win ranks right up there with the best and it’s fantastic playing for this cricket club,” said Laker, an Under 19 player on the Old Trafford staff who’s played at county second XI level.
“It’s a question of two down and one to go now and, hopefully, we can keep pushing on in the last six league matches and get the title won – because we deserve it.”
Delph are unbeaten all season and had a full-strength line-up for the showpiece against a Shepley side given little chance to get going.
“We spoke about coming to the final and not letting ourselves down,” added Laker.
“We’ve worked very hard for it over a long number of months, not just in the summer but last winter as well, and we didn’t want to let that work go to waste.
“Our plan was to keep it tight in the field for the first 10 or 15 overs and the bowlers did a superb job of that.
“We then stuck at it through the middle period and they finished it off to make it a complete performance in the field.”
And what of the batting?
“It was tough,” he answered. “Shepley have played some good cricket to get to the final and they are particularly strong in the bowling department, so we knew we would have to work hard.
“We got through the first 15, though, and it started to get a bit easier and, before we knew it, we were over the line.
“It’s great for everyone connected with the club, we have to thank Honley for staging it so well and now we’ve got to focus on putting everything into winning the league.”
