Cheadle 136 for 9 (49.3 overs) 25 points beat Marple 132 all out (54.1 overs) 6 points by one wicket
After chasing Marple’s modest total of 132 all out, Kingsway side Cheadle had subsided to 116 for 9, mainly due to a terrific spell of 5 for 40 from up and coming leg spinner Max Fitzgerald. Enter left arm seam bowler Pat Meese at number eleven in the order. Meese was not fazed by the situation facing him. He took the bull by the horns, and his innings of 12 not out is probably one he will remind his team mates of in the future.
The penultimate Saturday of August saw glorious, warm weather and not a cloud in the sky. However, a wet month, combined with a traditionally tough pitch at Kingsway, once more saw batting as an occupation fraught with risk. The Cheadle side is one that has maximised the resources at it’s disposal in the seasons since the club returned to Premier League Cricket. Skipper Dan Brown is not only a fine and accurate right arm seam bowler with terrific control, he is also an intelligent captain. This season has seen the addition of left arm seam bowler Pat Meese to the Cheadle ranks, and this has taken some of the pressure of Brown with the new ball. The Cheadle skipper was immaculate in his line and length, and although Andrew Hall and Paul Wood both looked secure for Marple, it was apparent that run scoring was going to be tough. With the ball not coming on to the bat, and the bounce inconsistent, Jim Morgan’s decision to bat first was looking to be a doubtful one.
Once again, Marple’s fragile batting in the 2019 season was exposed. The only partnership of note came between Mark Makin and Andrew Paulett after the visitors had subsided to 67 for 6. Makin, at number five, showed terrific self control, and he showed determination to try and bat through the full 55 overs. Hall had fallen to Meese, and Brown’s accuracy accounted for Wood, Morgan and Liam Brown. Some gutsy batting from Marple’s seventh wicket stand got them back into the game though, despite left arm spinner Will Holmes settling into a very testing spell. Paulett’s fine knock saw him hoist the talented leg spinner Josh Dooler for tree huge sixes, removing one threat from Cheadle’s talented bowling quartet. When Meese returned for a second spell he was right on the mark though. He bowled Makin for 39 when the Marple man attempted to force the pace as the overs began to ebb away. The nagging Holmes picked up most of the middle and lower order with his accuracy on a helpful surface, Paulett (43) also falling in an attempt to raise the score towards the end of the innings. 132 all out may not have seemed a big score, but batting was never easy, and Marple knew they were in the game. Brown had 3 for 20, Meese 3 for 30 and Holmes 4 for 42 for Cheadle.
When Cheadle replied, their initial response was anchored by the impressive Elliot Bullock. Although he lost Adams and Subhaan Mahmood to Liam Brown and Jack Grundy respectively, he found an excellent partner in Greg Dixon. Dixon did not suggest and air of permanence, but he kept the scoreboard moving, despite Brown in particular, bowling a testing spell. Veteran off spinner Greasley was introduced, and he settled immediately into a probing examination of the home batsmen. However, for Marple the decision of Morgan to throw the ball to young leg spinner Max Fitzgerald was an inspired one. Prior to this, Ed Saxelby had bowled a good spell without luck, seeing two edges flash through the slip area but not to hand. Fitzgerald’s spell was a real shot in the arm for Marple, and one could sense the game changing as he caused real problems for the Cheadle line up. He took four quick wickets, including the impressive Bullock for a classy 37, as huge doubt was cast over the run chase. Greasley, at the other end, was perfect in his control, but was frustrated, not picking up a wicket until he had two in two balls to leave Cheadle on 108 for 8. When the impressive Fitzgerald decieved and bowled Dixon for 49 Cheadle were 116 for 9. Surely that was it? Now Meese had his moment. From the first ball he faced he superbly drove Brown for four and never looked in trouble. Where had Cheadle been hiding their secret weapon? With Greasley bowled out, and Samuels stout in his support of Meese an unlikely home win beckoned. Meese was unflinching, and saw his team home by one wicket, once more a tenth wicket stand doing for Marple. Fitzgerald became the first Marple leg spinner to take five wickets in an innings (5 for 41) since the volatile Chris Wood way back in 1981, and his performance was a really heartening one, his spin and variation causing problems for all the batsmen. Greasley was pin point in his accuracy, and had no luck during his 2 for 17 from 17 overs.
So, an agonizing defeat for Marple in a low scoring thriller. They have three games left, but just one at home, to reigning champions Nantwich at Bowden Lane next Saturday 31st August, 11.30am start.
Marple seconds halted a run of defeats with a battling draw at home to Cheadle seconds on Saturday. Cheadle posted an impressive 199 for 8, with Drew Carswell, 41 and Moin Shah , 71, leading the way. Stand in skipper Joe Cash took 4 for 40 from fifteen overs for Marple. Once again several Marple batsmen got starts, but no one could make a half century. Jamie Massey, 30 and Gary Cash 33 threatened to win the game, although the pitch was not conducive to free stroke making. Marple got close, closing on 185 for 8, Tom Whiteley taking a restrictive 3 for 40 for Cheadle. Once again, a junior sized short boundary on one side was a curiosity in a second eleven game at Bowden Lane.
Marple thirds received a drubbing at Didsbury on Sunday. Marple did well in the field, with Didsbury restricted to 174 for 9, Tom Reeve 3 for 23, Connor Bergin 2 for 27 and Lewis Braddock 2 for 40. The Marple batting had no answer to Zain Basharat though. He took 5 for 8 in six overs, as the visitors subsided to just 54 all out, only Braddock (12) reaching double figures.
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