Alderley Too Good For Marple!

Alderley Edge 261 for 9 (55 overs) 25 points beat Marple 100 all out (29.4 overs) 4 points by 161 runs

On a glorious July Saturday, Marple were humbled at Moss Lane Alderley Edge by the huge margin of 161 runs. This, after skipper Mark Bennett had asked the home side to bat first. 

The Marple attack managed to keep a lid on proceedings for the first part of the afternoon, with Paul Wood doing a good job by picking up a couple of early wickets, including Cheshire man Calum Rowe. Former Lancashire opener Mark Currie held the innings together with Adam Worrall though, and they added 81 for the third wicket. Marple then looked to be gaining the ascendancy as wickets fell at regular intervals to leave the home side on 151 for 7. There was a maiden first team wicket for Chris Barlow on his debut when he bowled Worrall for 46, and Greasley did likewise, cleaning up Currie for 45. However, the decisive stand of the match between the in form Foreman (64) and Matt Whittaker’s Melbourne colleague Simon O’Brien (59 not out), added 97 for the eighth wicket.  This took the game away from Marple, and a score of 261 for 9 was way above par after a promising start for the visitors. 

After tea, Marple never remotely threatened to challenge this demanding total. James Morgan, with 40, played a lone hand as Marple were bundled out for only 100 in less than thirty overs. For the dominant home side, O’Brien followed up his half century with three top order wickets, and Charlie Reid polished off the tail with a remarkable 4 for 9. 

A heavy defeat this for Marple, and they will need to improve over the coming weeks, starting with a home game against Nantwich next Saturday, 12.30pm start. They remain fifth in the premier league. 

Marple seconds had the better of a drawn game in an excellent game of cricket against Alderley seconds at Bowden Lane on Saturday. A top class batting effort saw Marple reach 219 for 6 after 50 overs, Mark Nicholson 30, George Pearson 30, Andy Wild 53, Gary Cash 48 and Ryan Lindsay 33. Alderley’s last pair of David Johnson and Katie Hazeldine just held on for the draw at 201 for 9, with evergreen left arm spinner Andy Hayes taking 5 for 42. The seconds continue to consolidate their position in the second eleven premier division. 

It was a superb Sunday for Marple as the thirds and fourths both registered victories against their Hyde counterparts. A great team effort saw the threes knock off 237 for 7 to win by three wickets and five overs to spare at Werneth Low. In Hyde’s 236 for 5, James Hirst had 3 for 40, and then in the reply, Mark Nicholson top scored with 56, with David Brook also reaching 50 and Luke Greasley 39. 

In the fourth team’s straightforward eight wicket win, Daniel (DD) Davies had three wickets as Hyde were bowled out for 96. Mike Smith, Paul Roberts and Ben Smith also had two wickets each. In Marple’s 97 for 2, Matt Leech had 41 not out, and stand in skipper Andy Gichero 30 not out. The team remain comfortably top of the league.