5 days ago
Bridge hoping home advantage will help them upset the odds
Host side Astley Bridge will tackle the toughest test currently available in the Anthony Axford North West Cricket League when they take on Read in the second semi-final at Sunday's Birtwistle Cup T20 Finals Day - but they do so in confident mood.
Astley Bridge are the only Championship side present, alongside Read and Little Lever and Padiham. The latter two contest the morning semi (10.30am).
Bridge face Read at 1pm before a 4.15pm final.
Read are the current Premiership leaders and Hamer Cup champions and have only lost twice in all competitions in 2025.
But second-tier Bridge have won all six T20 games played so far this season, including five of those against top division clubs.
'That's good for our confidence,' said captain Syd De Silva.
'Everybody has chipped in so far, and we've managed to get the job done.
'I first talked to you before the Hamer Cup and said that we wanted to have a good cup run. Unfortunately, we were knocked out in the second round of that.
'But, after winning the first two T20s, I said to the lads, 'Come on, let's really try and get through in this'.'
De Silva and company finished top of Group Three South, prevailing ahead of Farnworth, Eagley, Blackrod, Brinscall and Atherton. They then beat Tonge in the quarter-finals last week.
Two things stand out from their campaign. One, they have used at least six bowlers in every match. Two, they have been helped by a host of important middle-order contributions with the bat.
Batting all-rounder De Silva said: 'I've got two left-arm spinners, two leg-spinners, two off-spinners and four medium-pacers.
'I've got pretty much every department covered with the ball, and it's amazing as a captain.
'Rather than going top heavy with the bat, I spread it accordingly. What I do is I name the top seven batsmen and then say, 'You all pad up and stay ready'.
'You can name a top seven in order, but it doesn't always go like that.
'That's worked in our favour so far, and hopefully it will again in the semi-final and the final.'
One of those middle-order contributors, South African overseas amateur Ulli Bronkhorst, has been their leading competition run-scorer with 187 from six matches, while Joe Ducker is the overall leading wicket-taker in the competition with 15.
Their professional, Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batter Dhanushka Dhamasiri, will also be key to their hopes.
Aside from winning a trophy, which is clearly special for any club, Bridge will be hoping success on the day can have a positive impact on their league form.
One of the pre-season promotion favourites from the Championship, they have not really got going yet, winning six and losing five in 12 games. They are mid-table just beyond the halfway point in the summer.
'I've been a little bit disappointed with the league,' said De Silva. 'Of the five games we've lost, there was only one - Baxenden at the end of May - when we've really been beaten.
'The other four games, we were in winning positions.'
De Silva says it means 'absolutely everything' for Astley Bridge as a club to be hosting Finals Day at their Sharples Park home.
'When we start the season, we talk about what we can do that's good for the club,' he continued. 'Trying to bring more junior players into the club is one thing.
'If we manage to go on and win this competition, that's good for the club and us as players. But a club that wins things is always good for attracting people.
'There was a lot of our juniors and their parents watching us in the quarter-final at Tonge last week. It was incredible. I'm sure it will be the same again on Sunday.'
Last season, Read were second-tier champions and Hamer Cup winners. They have come up and are immediately flying high at the top of the Premiership and remain in the hunt for the double having reached T20 Finals Day.
And Astley Bridge qualifying for Finals Day as a Championship club is a further indication of the strength of the NWCL.
'I don't think there's much difference in the standard between the Premiership and the Championship,' added De Silva. 'This league is going incredibly well, and the competitiveness is very high.
'I haven't played against Read yet, but they are looking really good. I'm not worried about it, though.
'We can definitely go and beat them if we play how we have been doing in this competition.'
