Cruise for Macclesfield Despite Makin Heroics

Macclesfield 164 for 5 (40.1 overs) 25 points beat Marple 163 all out (45 overs) 6 points by five wickets

Once more, an  inconsistent Marple side followed up a victory with a batting collapse, as even a battling 63 not out from Mark Makin could not rescue the team against relegation rivals Macclesfield last Saturday. 

There may have been some early movement for the bowlers, but Marple’s batting was blown away by former Cheshire opening bowler Ian Tait and the in form Jack Ward. In no game except the earlier rained off game against Macclesfield, have Marple had any sort of start from the top order. Today, it was left to Makin, and some determined resistance from the lower order, to rescue the side from the depths of 77 for 7. Jake Warner made 20, Chris Wood 9 and Joe Cash a cameo of 24, as Marple struggled to 163 all out with ten overs left to be bowled. Jack Ward had 5 for 63 for the home side, being well supported in the field and by the other bowlers.

The reply started well for the visitors, as Sam Harbinson soon had Keen (9) caught by Morgan, and then the big wicket of Nick Bertus, caught by Greasley at slip first ball for nought. At eleven for two the game was very much on. However, opener Peter Baron dug in, and even though Ward fell at 56, and Porter at 72 he remained resolute. Macclesfield skipper Tom Parfett was in no mood to let Marple in with a chance as he joined Baron in the decisive stand of the game. Parfett determinedly struck ten fours in his innings of 48 not out. The fifth wicket raised the score to 160 before Baron (69) was caught by Eliot Young off Joe Cash. There were no further alarms though, as victory came with almost twenty-five overs of the game remaining.

This was a dispiriting defeat for Marple against Macclesfield, although the victors are a side seemingly on the up, having almost pulled off a shock win against Chester the previous week. Marple face champions Hyde next week at Bowden Lane, a 12.30pm start. They will hope that with five home games out of eight remaining, they can be masters of their own destiny this season.

A rearguard action from Macclesfield second team’s lower order saw Marple seconds have to battle to a losing draw at Bowden Lane last Saturday. At 55 for 5 Marple must have fancied their chances, but Melrose (89) and Adnan Khan (48) helped the visitors post a very competitive 224 for 9. Greg Marsland had 4 for 56, Andy Hayes 2 for 38 and George Clarke 3 for 60. In reply, Marple got an excellent start through Will Darby (49) and Haroon  Ahmed (34). However, although a number of others managed good starts, no one else was able to go on to a sizeable score. 188 for 8 represented a battling effort and losing draw points.

Marple thirds continued their revival with a winning draw away at Bramhall.  In the total of 221 for 3, Matt Leech starred with a superb 103 not out, being ably assisted by Jamie Massey with 67 not out.  Bramhall hung on with the last wicket pair at the wicket at 152 for 9, Andy Massey 5 for 29.

Marple fourths suffered a nine wicket at home to Sale’s third team.  A target of 142 all out posed no problem as Sale cantered home with overs to spare.

Incredible Hall Lifts Marple!

Marple 287 for 4 (55 overs) 25 points beat Bramhall 251 all out (53.2 overs) 5 points by 36 runs

Andrew Hall hit a second successive century for Marple as they beat local rivals Bramhall at Bowden Lane last Saturday.  Records tumbled as Hall flayed the visiting attack to the tune of 182 runs! His remarkable innings contained 126 runs in boundaries, made up of 21 fours and 7 sixes. Visiting captain, Nick Cantello must have rued his decision to insert the home team on a fine, sunny July afternoon. The Marple ground was in excellent shape, with the outfield lighting fast and a pitch that encouraged strokeplay, but also provided hope for skilful bowlers.

Bramhall’s Rupes Kitzinger is one such bowler, and his opening spell was a testing one. He bowled a searching length, and managed to achieve some awkward bounce due to his height of six feet 8 inches. His partner,Danny Lamb was pacy, but both the Marple openers appeared untroubled. Jim Morgan was looking in good touch, but a mix up with Hall saw Morgan (7) run out when the score was only 12. Ryan Lindsay (4) could not stay with Hall this week, and edged a lifting delivery from Kitzinger to stand in keeper uz- Zaman at 29 for 2. This was the high point for Bramhall in the field. Skipper Mark Bennett joined Hall and although Simon Wilkinson settled well at the start of his spell, neither player looked concerned. In fact Bennett was the player to initially attack the normally accurate Wilkinson, hitting him over the infield on a couple of occasions.

 Hall was obviously set on a big score, and a good sized crowd was treated to some top quality batting, with both players finding the boundary with increasing regularity. Kitzinger’s worthy spell gave him 1 for 34 from 11 overs, but although Cantello tried several bowlers at the pavilion end, none were able to exert any further control.  Wilkinson was unusually expensive, and even a change of ends was of no benefit to him today.  Youngster, Clarke began well for Bramhall, but he too was soon given harsh treatment as the third wicket raised 148 in quick time. When Bennett was stumped off Clarke for a fine 61, Mark Makin played an unselfish innings of 26 not out, all in singles, in support of Hall. In the fourth wicket stand of 109, Hall became even more dominant. The combination of timing and power on view in this fantastic innings will long be remembered by those present. When he was well caught by Hughes at deep mid wicket in the final over for 182, a Marple individual league record, he received a long ovation on his return to the pavilion.

To chase down a total of 287 requires excellent batting over a long period. Bramhall set off in pursuit with a positive intent with West (34) finding the boundary a number of times. Marple welcomed back Andy Wylie after a long time out with injury, and he settled as though he had never been away. A beauty accounted for Oxford Blue Matt Hughes, caught behind by Morgan standing in for the injured Makin. Runs came at a decent rate, but wickets also fell, and when Bramhall reached 131 for 5, it seemed just a matter of time for Marple. Zaman had made a spirited 25 and former Marple man Crisall a valiant 29, neither player able to go on to a big score. Joe Cash earlier took a sensational one handed diving catch to dismiss Lamb for only 5. 

However,  Bramhall skipper Cantello was joined by Lancashire Thunder’s Emma Lamb. Initially Cantello found his touch with a number of well struck boundaries, and then Ms Lamb after some early good fortune, also played a number of attractive strokes. She timed the ball well, showed courage after receiving a painful blow, and also ran quickly between the wickets, as Marple lost the initiative. Was a miraculous victory on the cards? Both players reached half centuries as a stand of 103 was posted.  However, when Wylie returned, he took three quick wickets, including that of Cantello, bowled for 55. Ms Lamb (59) was eventually deceived by Greasley and stumped by Morgan. This was an innings full of character, skill and timing and contained eight fours. The Bramhall tail was not able to resist, and Greasley took the final wicket when Makin caught Clarke at second slip with ten deliveries remaining. Wylie was the most successful bowler with 4 for 38 from 12 overs and Greasley was not far behind taking 4 for 55 from 18.2 overs.

This was a welcome win for Marple, and moves them out of the relegation places. Next week sees another crucial game with a visit to Macclesfield, a 12.30pm start. 

Marple seconds continued their terrific season with a comfortable 6 wicket win at Bramhall on Saturday. Bramhall struggled to 131 all out in the final over, with the innings following a now familiar pattern in the field for Marple. Matthew Shelton and Greg Marsland bowled useful opening spells, and then skipper  George Clarke, 3 for 46, and Andy Hayes 4 for 27 cleaning up.  Tim Wood with 61 was top scorer for Bramhall. In Marple’s reply, all the batsmen contributed, George Pearson’s 34 being the top score. It was also uplifting to see Jake Warner finish off the game with a flurry of boundaries in his first game of the season. This victory consolidates the team  in second place in the second eleven premier league.

Marple thirds gave a much improved performance, just having the edge in a high scoring draw with high flying Didsbury on Sunday at Bowden Lane. A solid batting card of 206 for 8 was dominated by the Massey brothers, Andy 76 not out, and Jamie 39. Didsbury made a valiant effort to get the runs, but ended on 194 for 8, Arshad  50 and Johnston 49 not out. The wickets were shared, but Andy Massey took two excellent caught and bowled.

The fourths were narrowly defeated at Didsbury by three wickets despite totalling a testing 200, Lewis Braddock 32, Rick Major 42, Animit Kulkarni 32 and Jacob Combey 34. In the Didsbury reply Daniel  (“DD”) Davies was the most successful bowler with three wickets

McCoy Blitz Downs Marple!

Grappenhall 213 for 4 (35.3 overs) 25 points beat Marple 208 all out (54.2 overs) 7 points by six wickets

In a game in which three batsmen were the main players, Grappenhall’s James McCoy produced a stunning display of power and timing, striking 17 fours and 3 sixes in an innings of 96 from just 54 balls faced to inspire his side to victory over Marple at Broad Lane last Saturday.

Home skipper Parkinson elected to field first on winning the toss on a glorious July afternoon.  The home ground looked in excellent fettle, with a lightning fast outfield. However, despite this, the boundary had been brought in by up to thirty yards on the Broad Lane side. After Jim Morgan was caught behind in the first over, the first of the three batsmen to influence the game, Andrew Hall took charge. With solid support once again from Ryan Lindsay, Hall dominated proceedings with a series of glorious strokes all round the wicket. Twenty boundary fours and one effortlessly stroked six flowed from his bat, as the second wicket added 103. After Lindsay fell for a battling 21, Hall was joined by skipper Bennett, who looked to be settling well. A mistimed pull off the belatedly introduced Matthews accounted for Bennett (5), and Hall fell soon afterwards for a superb 109. When Makin was well caught for a single at 144 for 5, Marple were once more in danger of being bowled out early. Paul Wood (26) continued his good form though, and with Eliot Young chipping in with a useful 21 and Chris Wood 16 not out, a respectable total of 208 was posted. After Hall’s excellent knock, this was probably somewhat below par in good batting conditions. For Grappenhall, left arm seamer Guest toiled through almost 28 overs, always giving his captain some control, to finish with 4 for 85. Matthews, possibly indignant at being left until the 34^th over, ran in hard and took a determined 4 for 37.

On the resumption, Marple had a moment of hope when Roylance (0) mistimed a pull stroke from the final delivery of Sam Harbinson’s first over. The powerful James McCoy was not fazed by this early setback, and proceeded to make a mockery of the target. It mattered not where the ball was pitched, as even from the first delivery he faced, it disappeared to all parts of the ground. In a stand of 106 for the second wicket, McCoy (95) dominated the scoring even more than had Hall earlier. He was out five runs short of what would surely have been one of the fastest ever centuries in Premier League history. With 86 of his runs coming in boundaries, all bowlers were put to the sword. When Hall caught him at slip off Greasley, Marple were relieved. 

This optimism was short lived though, as the third of the day’s main batsmen, former Lancashire man Richard Green immediately took charge. Green had been content to watch as McCoy had launched his fireworks, but now he didn’t allow Marple a foothold back into the game. Despite Abrahim (11) falling at 150, Green found the boundary with increasing regularity striking eleven fours and three huge sixes. Matt Brown (28 not out) gave useful if sketchy support. Green (76) fell with just two required, and Brown then finished the game with the eighth six of the innings. Greasley, not enjoying good fortune today, was Marple’s most successful bowler with 3 for 75. Both Brown and Green were missed with the score in the 170’s off his bowling, although it is impossible to say if the final result would have been different.

Next Saturday Marple entertain local rivals Bramhall with a 12.30pm start.

Marple seconds are up to second place in the second eleven premier league. This, after defeating Didsbury seconds by four wickets in a good, competitive game of cricket at Bowden Lane on Saturday. A fine all round performance, with the wickets shared, kept Grappenhall to 169 on an excellent pitch. In reply, Marple slipped to 34 for 3 despite a breezy 24 from Haroon Ahmed. Jack Marshall was then joined by veteran Gary Cash, and Marshall proceeded to dominate a century plus stand for the fourth wicket. After Cash (38) was dismissed, Didsbury claimed another two quick wickets, but skipper George Clarke, provided solid support for Marshall who played a number of delightful strokes in his match winning knock of 83 not out.