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Match Reports for 2008 Season
Match Reports for Week Ending 10/08/2008
ECB Cheshire Premier League 20/20 Trophy Final
Bowdon 98-8
Alderley Edge 102-1
Alderley Edge won by 9 wickets
With the entire ECB Premiership league programme wiped out by rain last Saturday, Alderley Edge turned their attention to securing the first leg of a possible league and cup double when they took part in the Cheshire County League’s 20/20 Finals day at Timperley cricket club last Sunday.
Having already won three matches to get to the finals, Edge were drawn against Division Two’s Marple Cricket Club in the semi-final. However, this match proved to be a real test for Alderley who looked liked loosing when they were 46 for 5 in reply to Marple’s 98 all out off 20 overs. It was Lancashire’s Simon Marshall who saved Edge with a high-class innings of 47 not out that got Edge home with three balls to spare in a tense finale.
In the final Edge faced Bowdon, their main rivals for the ECB Premier League title who had beaten Chester Boughton Hall in their semi-final. Edge got off to the best possible start dismissing Bowdon’s best two batsmen, Richard Wilkinson, and Carl Hey, stumped by a great piece of wicket-keeping from Simon Elliott, fairly cheaply. Fine bowling from Jason Whittaker, Adam Wildig, Sohail Rauf, Mark Walker and Simon Marshall restricted Bowdon to 98 for 8 off their 20 overs.
When Edge batted they never looked in any great difficulty, putting on an opening stand of 74 between Mark Currie and Alan Day in 12 overs. Currie was finally out for a splendid 39, with Day getting the Man-of-the-Match award for a sparkling 40 not out, well supported by a quick fire 21 from Sohail Rauf. Alderley had the match won inside 16 overs with captain Mark Walker collecting the Fred Graham 20/20 trophy for the second time in three years. After twenty years without winning a major trophy, this victory confirmed a remarkable turnaround in the Club’s fortunes.
Having secured the league knock-out trophy, and with only five matches left in the ECB Cheshire Premier league, Alderley’s dream of a league and cup double remains very much alive. Next Saturday they are away at Neston, a ground where they have had little reward over the last few years.
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