1st XI: Sale vs. Didsbury [24/07/16]

Sale suffered a disappointing loss to 1st XI Division One leaders Didsbury, knocking Sale down to fifth position – now thirty three points from the second promotion spot.

The day had already got off to a better start for Didsbury before a ball had even been bowled; Didsbury won the toss and elected to bowl first – the much preferred (and much more successful) formula for a win.

Although very early days, Sale had got off to good start; reaching fifteen inside the fourth over. This start, though, was shortlived as Brooke Guest tried to pull and edged onto his stumps for just six.

Things then took a turn for the worse when Tyrone Lawrence looked to leave a ball from Richard White, but it appeared that the ball glanced the bat and the way through and was easily taken by ‘keeper Sam Leech. Lawrence was dismissed for just four, and Sale had lost their two best batsman for the total gain of only twenty seven runs.

Sale desperately needed a partnership between Mat Spells and the new batsman, Luke McCoy. They indeed did get one, as the pair put on fifty in good time and looked to be comfortable. However, just four balls after the halfway mark of the innings, McCoy tried to thrash Simon Normanton away – but the ball only was sliced to Tom Warren, who took a comfortable catch at point, McCoy gone for thirty six with Sale 83-3.

Spells was then joined by Chris Canning – still recovering from injury – and the pair added twenty three, but this partnership was ended when Canning ran down the wicket to Matt Gregson and was stumped by Leech for fifteen, leaving Sale 106-4 with fifteen overs and two balls remaining in the innings.

Ian Dixon then tried to hit Gregson down the ground, but only succeeded in offering a simple chance to Tim Hughes at mid-on, and was then followed back to the pavilion by Mat Spells, as he tried to slog-sweep Michael Taylor but popped up a simple catch to Nick Anderson at mid-on – the Sale men falling for five and forty four, respectively, to leave Sale 119-6.

Ben Watkin was then bowled by Taylor for six, and Paul Battersby skied a pull off Normanton to Hamza Ahmed at square leg – leaving Sale in real trouble at 135-8 with 45.1 overs played.

Taz Tharshan struck the ball right at Normanton, inexplicably starting off a run; the throw from Normanton easily beating him home, Tharshan gone for only two.

Last pair Rob Greenhough and Richard Adams tried to add as many runs as they can, but could only manage five more to the total – taking Sale to 142 – before the former was pinned LBW by Normanton (who finished with figures of 3-44), with Sale taking only forty eight overs, meaning that if necessary, Didsbury could have fifty two overs to chase their target.

Sale knew that taking ten Didsbury wickets would likely be the only way to get a positive result from the match, and some early pressure led to the first wicket in the sixth over: with the score on seventeen, Nick Anderson, on seven, clipped a low full-toss from Taz Tharshan to Richard Adams at square leg – who hung on to a high chance.

Tharshan then struck again – just five runs lafer, as the other opener, Tim Hughes, was caught off the edge by Chris Canning for fourteen. This left Didsbury 23-2, with Sale in the ascendancy.

Sale built pressure on Simon Normanton and Matt Marfani, the Didsbury number three and four, including twenty nine dots in a row to the former. But, try as they might, Sale could not force the further wickets they needed, and a brilliant unbroken partnership of one-hundred and twenty saw Didsbury to, in the end, a comfortable eight-wicket win.

The 1st XI will look to keep the pressure on the top teams next week, as they travel to Davenham – whom they beat by five wickets in the reverse fixture earlier this season.

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

Simon Normanton: 14.0-2-44-3

Mat Spells: 44 (122); 0x4s, 0x6s
Luke McCoy: 36 (57); 4x4s, 0x6s
Simon Normanton: 60* (87); 8x4s, 0x6s
Matt Marfani: 59* (85); 8x4s, 1×6

MATCH SCORECARD: http://bit.ly/2ai7331

1st XI: Sale vs. Warrington [16/07/16]

Sale climbed to third in the Vivio Cheshire Country Cricket League 1st XI Divison 1, thanks to a comprehensive eight-wicket victory over Warrington.

Meeting for the first time this year (the first fixture was cancelled due to rain), Sale won the toss and, sticking to the recent formula, elected to field first. With first placed Disdsbury playing second placed Oulton Park, Sale knew that a win would enable them to gain ground on at least one team above – and this is exactly what they did.

Sale were in the ascendancy almost immediately; Mike Rudd well caught by a diving Brooke Guest down the legside for a duck inside the fifth over, leaving Warrington 5-1. Only thirteen runs were then scored in the next ten overs, before the other opener, Mal Agar, tried to hit Tyrone Lawrence away and was caught at the second attempt after a juggle by Chris Canning in the slips for seven.

This brought Will Fleetwood to the crease, who, facing only his third ball, tried to sweep Rick Halkon behind square. Initially, it looked as though the shot had worked, but Luke McCoy made an unbelievable catch running, diving and somehow holding on – sending the number four back for just one.

Warrington had reached 19-3 in fifteen overs and were struggling early on. This struggle was then compounded four balls later, as Adam Green went back to a Rick Halkon delivery, but was pinned LBW for thirteen. Warrington were 23-4 and desperately in need of a partnership.

Rick Halkon’s three wickets helped restrict Warrington to 121-10. Photo by George Franks.

This partnership materialised somewhat; captain Rich Heaney and overseas Huw Stone added twenty-four in about ten overs. But, as the runs began to dry up after accurate bowling, Ali Rizvi made the vital breakthrough of Heaney, bowled for a busy eleven. The same then happened again; Stone and James Rudd adding twenty four. But, as the partnership started to develop, Rudd tried to hit Rich Adams and sliced a catch to Luke McCoy running back towards point and had to depart for six, leaving Warrington 71-6 from 36 overs.

Rich Adams was responsible for breaking a developing partnership for Warrington, finishing with figures of 9.0-0-31-1. Photo by George Franks.

Twenty three had this time been added between Stone and James Lewis, when the former clipped Ben Watkin to the running Chris Canning at midwicket, who completed a simple catch to dismiss the Warrington top-scorer for a crucial fourty that had at least given his team hope.

The final three wickets then fell quickly, as Brad McIntosh skied Watkin to Tyrone Lawrence – who took a good, high catch – for a quickfire 11, and then James Lewis advanced down the wicket to Rick Halkon, but missed the ball and was bowled for an excellent twenty-two. The final wicket then fell in calamitous circumstances, as number eleven Chai Gadepalli and number ten Ashley Scholes had a horrible mix-up and the latter was easily run out from a combination of Mal Clarke and Brooke Guest. All told, Warrington had been bowled out for 121 in 45.5 overs.

Sale would therefore need 122 in 54 overs to win – meaning that batting out the overs would almost guarantee a win. Guest – who made it ten consecutive games scoring thirty or more – and Spells started confidently, motoring on at about 6 runs per over for the first ten overs.

Brooke Guest continued his excellent form for Sale, scoring 54. Photo by George Franks.

The runs then began to subside somewhat, and Mat Spells was caught on the edge of the 3o-yard circle by Gadepalli off the bowling of Brad McIntosh for seventeen. At 70-1 from fourteen overs, Sale were almost certainly on their way to victory.

Guest and Lawrence had moved the score on to 89, when Guest was clean bowled by James Rudd for an excellent 54. Though he would not be there to see his team home, he had all but led his team to victory.

Lawrence and Luke McCoy looked to score the required runs as quickly as possible, and some big hits eventually brought Sale to their target inside twenty five overs – with Lawrence finishing 30* and McCoy 18*. It was Sale’s fourth consecutive win, and took them to within twelve points of a promotion spot – trailing Grappenhall and Didsbury, with the latter visiting Sale next week.

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

Rick Halkon: 13.5-2-35-3
Huw Stone: 40 (74), 1×4
Brooke Guest: 54 (61), 5x4s; 1×6
Tyrone Lawrence: 30* (38), 4x4s

MATCH SCORECARD: http://bit.ly/29RbAu4

1st XI: Oulton Park vs. Sale [09/07/16]

Sale moved to within twelve points of the second promotion spot in the Cheshire Country Cricket League 1st XI Division, thanks to a six-wicket win over fellow promotion hopefuls Oulton Park, led by Captain Chris Canning.

With games around the league being rained off, Sale knew that any game played was a good chance to gain ground on rivals – but play was initially in doubt. Luckily, the worst of the weather was avoided and only eight overs were lost; play starting half an hour late. Sale won the toss, and, unsurprisingly, elected to field first.

Both teams were deprived of senior players, and a close game was certainly on the cards. Oulton Park raced to an exceptional start with Martin East and Daniel Leech – their two leading 1st XI run scorers this year – taking advantage of the small boundaries to race to 120-0 from just twenty overs. Sale chopped and changed the bowlers, looking to take the important first wicket, and it was futile until the twenty-third over, when East hammered Lawrence straight to Brooke Guest for 68 (with four sixes and six fours). The score 116-1, Oulton Park still in a good position.

Tyrone Lawrence was the pick of Sale’s bowling attack, returning figures of 15.0-0-53-3. Photo by George Franks.

Number three Ben Tomlinson had faced six balls without scoring when he offered a difficult chance to Brooke Guest at short cover, which was made to look easy by the Australian Under-19 to reduce the home side to 126-2 with twenty overs (and three balls) remaining.

This brought Tom Hyslop to the crease, and he and Leech worked busily to keep the score ticking over as much as possible. This had worked well for four overs, but the hard work was somewhat undone as Danny Leech looked to play Rich Adams down to third man and appeared to get an edge onto his stumps, bowled for 65.

Hyslop and Roberts then survived another four overs together, but Hyslop fell when he tried to pull Lawrence, and was well caught by Mat Spells on the leg-side boundary for 23. Pat Roberts and namesake Eddie were then brought together and the pair had added only seven runs before the former called through for a third run, but the latter was beaten to his stumps by a throw from Luke McCoy and he was run out for just 3. Oulton Park had now lost 64-5 since their opening partnership and Sale were back in the game.

Roberts and Bannister-Wright led a recovery of sorts, adding a further 33, but this was ended when Bannister-Wright tried to hit Lawrence down the ground, and was caught by a diving Rich Adams for 11. Roberts then fell seven balls and five runs later as he was bowled by Ali Barrowman for a quick 40, leaving Oulton Park 218-7 with two overs of their innings left.

Sam Blandford was out trying to scoop, and quick running between the wickets lifted Oulton Park to a final score of 235-8 in their 46 overs.

Sale would therefore have to chase down 236 at a rate of 5.13 RPO. The chase got off to a horror start, as Mat Spells was caught at close range by Tom Hyslop off only the twelfth ball of the innings for a duck, leaving Sale 2-1.

Tyrone Lawrence joined Brooke Guest and they began to play ever more fluently – especially Guest. This, though, was abruptly brought to an end with Sale 58-1; Guest was run out by Pat Roberts after a calamitous mix-up for 40 (with three sixes and three fours).

Brooke Guest continued his excellent form for Sale, scoring 43. Photo by George Franks.

Luke McCoy had made four when he mistimed a pull from a short Blandford delivery, and skied a catch to sub Ben Kettle (on for Martin East, who had split his webbing just balls before). From a somewhat comfortable position just overs ago, Sale were now looking in a shaky position at 63-3.

Lawrence was joined by Chris Canning, who was playing with an injured foot, and had a very observable limp. He and Lawrence began to seriously up the run-rate, with Canning especially taking advantage of the short-leg side boundary. The pair had added 97 at six and a half an over, and Canning had just passed a fifty from 44 balls (with twenty four coming from a single Tomlinson over) when Lawrence tried to hit Hyslop into the neighbouring fields, but missed the boundary by inches and was caught high by Ashwell for what would turn out to be a vital 47 (striking at 70, with three fours and three sixes).

Canning, on 59*, was then joined by Paul Battersby at the crease, and, after the latter had seen off the three remaining balls of the Hyslop over, took 24 off a Matt Parkinson over – sending the innings run rate up to six and his personal score to 84 from just fifty six balls.

Chris Canning’s century (121*) contained eleven fours, eight sixes and came from only seventy-six balls. Photo by George Franks.

Battersby did not trouble the scoring – bowled by Hyslop for a six-ball duck. With Sale 185-5, Rob Greenhough came to the crease and Canning, initially at least, slowed his scoring down; with 51 needed from fifteen overs, wickets were the only way Sale could be stopped from winning the game.

After Canning scampered a two to complete his hundred (from 66 balls), he then launched his seventh six to bring the runs required below twenty. Greenhough was bowled by Hyslop for 8, although the partnership he shared with captain Cannning was a vital 37.

Ali Barrowman managed to stave off six balls, and Canning faced Hyslop with the score 237-6. Second ball, he hit a six straight down the ground, and, after a dot, followed with two consecutive fours to send Sale to a vital win, seeing them gain on Grappenhall and Oulton Park, whilst staying up with Didsbury (who were earlier winners at Tattenhall).

Match Highlights

Martin East: 68 (72); 6x4s, 4x6s
Daniel Leech: 65 (86); 5x4s, 2x6s
Patrick Roberts: 40 (47); 3x4s, 1×6
Brooke Guest: 43 (52); 3x4s, 3x6s
Tyrone Lawrence: 47 (64); 3x4s, 3x6s
Chris Canning: 121* (76); 11x4s, 8x6s

Tyrone Lawrence: 15.0-0-53-3
Tom Hyslop: 11.5-2-68-3

Match scorecard: http://bit.ly/29r7GVU

 

1st XI: Tattenhall vs. Sale [02/07/16]

Sale jumped up to fifth place in the Vivio Cheshire County Cricket League 1st XI Divison One, with an emphatic six-wicket victory over bottom-placed Tattenhall.

Electing to bowl first with rain around, Sale had almost instant vindication as opener Josh Harding was caught at 1st slip by Chris Canning off the bowling of Tyrone Lawrence for just seven. Henry Dobson – Tattenhall’s leading run scorer – and Dylan Reeves then tried to consolidate, aiming to keep wickets in hand for the later overs. The plan had worked for nearly twenty overs, but, with the score on 45, Reeves was bowled by Ali Barrowman for a patient thirteen.

Dobson was then joined by Koppack – forming arguably Tattenhall’s best batting pair – and the two had only been together for eight balls before Dobson hit the ball straight to Lawrence and called Koppack through for a single, but the throw to Guest was there well ahead of the Tattenhall man and he was run out without troubling the scores – Tattenhall now 45-3.

With the dot balls building and the thirty over mark approaching – just fifty-two runs had been scored – Dobson inexplicably hit the ball straight to Tyrone Lawrence and, despite looking relatively untroubled, was forced to depart for twenty-nine.

The next two wickets contributed only one run to the score, before Spraggs was bowled by Barrowman and overseas Siebert then chipped Richard Adams to Canning at midwicket, for one and a duck, respectively. This left the score 53-6, and only a further lone run was added before Ryan Spann was pinned LBW by Barrowman for a single.

Ali Barrowman was the pick of the Sale bowlers. Photo by George Franks.

At 54-7, Tattenhall were in danger of a tiny score, but captain Owen Williamson came to the rescue somewhat; his 26 (with three fours and two sixes) helped lift his team to 93, before he ballooned one high into the air, and was caught by Luke McCoy off the bowling of Tyrone Lawrence. Ben Gibbon then was stumped off Tyrone Lawrence for 13, and Alan Brock hit a four straight down the ground, but it only was enough to lift Tattenhall to 99 all out.

With rain in the air, Sale’s openers Mat Spells and Brooke Guest set about their task of scoring the runs required as quickly as possible – taking twenty-six runs off the first four overs.

The pair had added 58 in quick time, before Mat Spells walked down the pitch to Dave Shewring and was stumped for an excellent 33 (coming off just 35 balls, with five fours). Tyrone Lawrence was then pinned LBW very next ball by the same bowler, and, with storm clouds approaching, Sale were 58-2; forty-two away from their target.

Mat Spells helped to get Sale off to a quick start. Photo by George Franks.

Guest and McCoy briskly took Sale towards their target, and two successive fours from Guest took him to 46, needing a boundary to seal both his fifty and the Sale win… but he was bowled by Dobson, as the rain started to really fall.

McCoy then fell first ball of the next over, for 17 – caught by Henry Dobson after a brief juggle, as the rain came down even harder. Dixon, though, took Sale over the line as he pulled Siebert to the sqaure-leg boundary, taking Sale to a vital six-wicket victory with not a moment to spare!

Ian Dixon hit his first ball off Siebert for four, sending Sale to victory just seconds before the rain came down. Photo by George Franks.

Match highlights: A. Barrowman 10.0-6-7-3; T. Lawrence 10.0-3-15-3; M. Spells 33 (35); B. Guest 46 (54)

Match scorecard: http://bit.ly/29bJ5bh