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 34th 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.
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