Toft 189 for 7 (31.4 overs) 25 points beat Marple 186 all out (49 overs) 7 points by three
wickets
An ambitious young Toft outfit were ultimately too strong
for Marple at Knutsford last Saturday.
Former Cheshire captain Andrew Hall was a late replacement as Marple
skipper, and he elected to bat first on winning the toss on a fine and warm
late June afternoon. Hall opened up with
Jim Morgan, but Morgan was unable to follow up his fine half century of the
previous week, being bowled for a duck by Northants Colt Jack Goode in only the
third over. Hall was joined by Ryan Lindsay, promoted from the second eleven on
the morning of the game due to the unavailability of normal captain Mark
Bennett. Lindsay gave Hall excellent and determined support after the early
setback, and the second wicket pair put together a fine stand of 87 in good
time. Initially Hall was the dominant partner, being particularly keen to get
on top of Lomas when the left arm spinner was introduced. First change for
Toft, Pete Talbot bowled a useful spell and helped to stem the run rate as Hall
and Lindsay both began to find the boundary. He had Hall lbw for a fine 45,
just when it appeared that a really big score was on for Marple’s still top
class opener. Sam Harbinson (2) was stifled today and soon bowled by Talbot at
106 for 3, and Lindsay himself, after showing excellent temperament and skill,
was out soon afterwards again for 45, lbw to the nagging Lomas at 110 for 4.
This was a fine comeback to first team cricket from Lindsay, and the innings
says as much about his character as his technical ability.
Marple numbers five and six, Mark Makin and Paul Wood are
both in fine form at present, and they began to rebuild the innings for the
visitors. Makin was always on the lookout for the loose delivery, and Wood was
content to rotate the strike and get himself established. The fifth wicket
began to prosper as a stand of 56 came at a good rate. At 166 for 4 with plenty
of overs remaining, Marple were surely looking a minimum of 220. Sadly though,
Makin’s fine knock of 42 came to an end when he was well caught behind by
keeper Lord when leg spinner Rob Jones was belatedly introduced. What followed
for Marple was pretty much a disaster. The lower order proved incapable of
staying with Wood, and the side succumbed for only 186 all out after 49 overs.
Wood had shown that he is in excellent touch with security in defence, and also
some fine forcing strokes in front of the wicket. Paul Wood’s brother Chris can be probably be
excused as he was out to a sensational diving catch by Jones, but the others
will want to forget the lack of technique and application on view. Paul Wood
was left high and dry on 29 not out as Lomas recovered from his earlier harsh
treatment to finish with 6 for 71 from 18 overs.
Bowlers at Toft are aware that any inaccuracy usually
results in a boundary, and Sam Harbinson got off to a bad start with eleven
runs, including three no balls, conceded from his first over to James Drummond
and Jake Hancock. Chris Wood, however, knew what was required and immediately
turned the tables in his first over having both openers caught by his brother
Paul in a double wicket maiden. However, unluckily for Harbinson, Rob Jones is
in prime form this season. Even the Marple seamer’s good deliveries were
despatched for fours as the Young England and Lancashire second team batsman
played a series of glorious off drives. Despite losing Hughes to the excellent Chris
Wood, there was no playing himself in today for Jones, as when Greasley
replaced Harbinson, a furious assault was launched on Marple’s venerated off
spinner. Last season Greasley had destroyed Toft with a seven wicket return,
but today his first three overs went for 36, and Hall had no option but to
remove him from the attack. Obviously words had been said in the Toft dressing
room as to how to combat Greasley! Ageless left arm spinner for Marple, Andy
Hayes, promoted from the second team, then did his team proud by deceiving
Jones to bowl him for a rapid 57, with nine fours and two sixes. At 99 for 4
Marple had a sniff of victory, but Jake Dickinson and Ed Stubbs continued where
Jones left off. Chris Wood had been the only bowler capable of giving Hall any
control on the day, but when he was rested, the runs flowed again, particularly
from Dickinson (60) who also hit nine fours and two sixes. Stubbs (30) provided
solid support in a stand of 72 for the fifth wicket. Harbinson picked up a couple
of wickets when he returned, and Chris Wood removed Dickinson, stumped by Makin
when he came back for a second spell.
The victory, which came up in only the 32nd over, was never
in doubt for the home team, despite Marple sticking to their task in trying
circumstances. Chris Wood was the stand
out bowler for Marple with 4 for 47 in 13 overs, but the rest took some heavy
punishment at the hands of a confident young side that sits on top of the
Cheshire County Premier League at the halfway point of the season.
Marple will look at this defeat with some concern as it
leaves them in eleventh position in the league. In this game, seven players
managed just five runs between them including four ducks in an innings of 186
containing 20 extras. The bottom five in
the order could muster a mere three runs. Marple have to accept that they are
in a relegation battle with four other teams this season. The league is not
tight this season, and maybe a handful of wins will be enough to stay up. Next
week sees a key game for the side with a visit to bottom club Grappenhall, a
12.30pm start.
It was a very different story at Bowden Lane as Marple
seconds comfortably defeated Toft seconds by 92 runs. The now vaunted opening
pair of Will Darby (72) and Haroon Ahmed (33) put together another fifty plus
stand for the first wicket. Joe Cash, called up in place of the promoted Ryan
Lindsay, then made hay with a superb undefeated 81 as Marple motored along to a
dominant 225 for 3.
With the wicket good, and the outfield fast Marple still
needed to bowl and field well against the second eleven premier league
champions. A useful early spell from the fit again Matthew Shelton (2 for 23)
was followed up with 3 for 26 from skipper George Clarke and 3 for 27 from man
of the match Joe Cash.
Toft were routed for 133 with ten overs remaining. Six
good catches were taken by six different fielders, and Marple are back in the
mix in the league moving up to third place at the half way mark.
Marple’s Sunday teams
once more struggled, with the thirds hammered by 205 runs at Hyde. Chasing a
mammoth 292 to win, the side was sent packing for only 86, this despite a short
boundary and fifty overs to get the runs. Earlier, captain Andy Gichero had
taken three wickets and held two fine catches for Marple. The fourths were
beaten by seven wickets at Marple by a strong Heaton Mersey third team. Skipper Rick Major held the fort with a fine
70 out of Marple’s 147 all out. Although the visitors cruised to victory, three
Marple youngsters caught the eye in the field. Ed Saxelby bowled with some pace
and hostility, being unlucky not to take a wicket and Jordan Worrall picked up
two wickets on his senior debut. Albert Connor also held two fine catches at
mid on to remove the Mersey openers.
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