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Match Reports for 2008 Season
Match Reports for Week Ending 01/06/2008
ECB Cheshire Premier League
Neston 221 all out
Alderley Edge 221-9
Drawn
Edge regained top-spot in the ECB Cheshire Premier League last Saturday in a fantastically exciting level-scores draw, that saw them tie Neston’s total off the last ball of the match.
The visitor’s won the toss and decided to bat first at Moss Lane on a good-looking surface that promised a fair contest between bat and ball. Edge had an early break-through when Sohail Rauf had Neston’s Australian opening batsman Jack Smith, caught by Charlie Reid for 22. His fellow opener Byrom Cooper looked shaky early on but went on to play a fine innings before being out for 106, playing the major batting role for Neston. Edge’s Jason Whittaker took four wickets, making it 26 wickets already in the league this season. Simon Marshall, playing against his hometown club for the first time, took 3 for 38 as Neston totalled 221 all out in the 55th over, Andy Clarke contributing 33 before being run out for the visitors.
Edge must have been fairly confident of winning at tea, but this looked unlikely when they slumped to 153 for 7 after 39 overs, despite a useful 47 from opener Mark Currie. There followed a crucial eighth wicket partnership of 67 from Jason Whittaker and Adam Wildig, with Wildig weighing in with 39 off only 44 balls. The last over arrived with Edge having their last pair at the crease but with seven still needed for victory. Importantly, Whittaker was on strike and a two and a four off the last two balls meant that the match ended in a level-scores draw, with Whittaker unbeaten on 65. Under the points system in the Cheshire County League, Alderley ended up with 18 points to Neston’s 17 to take them 5 points clear at the top of the table as leaders Bowdon lost for the first time this season. Edge are currently on a high with both first and second teams currently top of the County League’s first and second XI Premier League tables.
Next week Edge start a marathon stint of five successive away games, starting at erratic Hyde, who are the league’s current form team having been responsible for Bowdon’s comprehensive defeat last Saturday.
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