Sale maintained their push for promotion to the Vivio Cheshire Country Cricket League ECB Premier League with a vital win at home to fellow hopefuls Weaverham, maintaining pace with second-position Grappenhall.
On an unusually green pitch, Weaverham made the unusual chance of opting to bat first.
They made an excellent start – reaching 33-0 from the first ten overs, thanks largely to Kevin Waterhouse, 26. This unbroken stand, however, was not to continue; Jake Lightfoot – having made a very patient 5 – tried to force some runs, but only skied a catch to Luke McCoy running back from extra cover to leave the visiting side 34-1.
Kevin Waterhouse (37) helped get Weaverham off to a good start. Photo by George Franks.
Then, facing only his second ball, Weaverham captain Ian Eaton tried to cut a ball that was far too close to him, and edged through to Chris Canning who completed a simple catch. Eaton out for a second-ball duck, Weaverham 34-2.
Waterhouse was then joined by Wilden Cornwall, and the two began to build a partnership quickly. Waterhouse survived a close stumping appeal on 33, but he could not add many more to his total, as he didn’t quite time a ball from Tyrone Lawrence and Brooke Guest took a superb high, running catch to send him back for 37, ending the 27 partnership with Cornwall. Weaverham 61-3. Ryan Simm had made just one from twelve when he swatted a ball from Tyrone straight down the ground to Ali Rizvi, leaving Weaverham 68-4 approaching twenty overs. From a very good start, Sale were now right back in the game.
Ian Dixon then delivered with the huge wicket of Wilden Cornwall, pinned LBW for a fluent 26. Sale followed up the wicket with some tight bowling to leave Weaverham in a precarious position on 89-5 at the halfway mark.
Ian Dixon trapped Wilden Cornwall – Weaverham’s leading run scorer in 2016 – LBW for 26. Photo by George Franks.
Alex Nash and James Lewis steadily rebuilt the innings, adding 29 before Nash edged Ali Barrowman to the ‘keeper for a composed 17, the total 111-6 from 34 overs. Just as a partnership was again beginning to develop – this time between Lewis and Jamieson – the former, on 31, edged straight through to Canning’s gloves – again off the bowling of Dixon – to make the score 137-7 with nine overs remaining. Kev Douglas was then bowled second ball (the second in three balls for Ian Dixon), 137-8.
George McCormick and Jamieson tried to ensure that Weaverham would bat out the overs, but the temptation of the big hit eventually became too much for McCormick who skied a ball from Guest, and was caught brilliantly by Joe Cannon fighting off the sun and holding on as he fell backwards. Matt Jamieson tried to hit the first ball of the last over through midwicket, but missed the ball whilst down on one knee to be bowled by Tyrone Lawrence (who finished with figures of 5-39) as Weaverham were all out for 157 in 49.1 overs.
Joe Cannon completed a high catch, running back into the sun to dismiss George McCormick. Photo by George Franks.
Sale’s chase nearly got off to a horror start; Brooke Guest dropped at backward point whilst still on nought. The Sale man was to make Weaverham pay dearly for this reprieve: Guest added 72, Spells added 29 and the two brought up their century opening partnership (105, to be exact) as Guest hit a huge six to midwicket.
The runs continued to flow for Sale, as Guest and Spells raced along to 135. However, with Guest on 90 and looking as comfortable as ever, he inexplicably missed a delivery from Stuart Hayes and was bowled – ending a brilliant knock of seventy-seven balls, with eleven fours and two sixes.
Brooke Guest made a rapid 90, further increasing his lead as the league’s top run scorer. Photo by George Franks.
With just three runs needed and the result all but decided, Tyrone Lawrence hit Wilden Cornwall straight to Matt Jamieson at midwicket. But, the wicket was to be inconsequential, as Luke McCoy called through for a quick single, and Sale finished 158-2 inside thirty overs to complete an eight wicket win.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
Tyrone Lawrence: 14.1-3-39-5
Ian Dixon: 15-4-36-3
Kevin Waterhouse: 37 (41); 8x4s, 0x6s
James Lewis: 31 (66); 0x4s, 0x6s
Brooke Guest: 90 (77); 11x4s, 2x6s
Mat Spells: 44 (88); 4x4s, 0x6s
MATCH SCORECARD: http://bit.ly/2baSbmw
Sale Cricket Club 