|
Match Reports for 2008 Season
Match Reports for Week Ending 20/04/2008
Cheshire ECB Premier League
Toft 192-8 (55 overs)
Alderley Edge 193-9 (54.4 overs)
Edge won by 1 wicket
It was a thrilling start to Alderley Edge’s Cheshire Premier League campaign last Saturday at Moss Lane, as the freezing cold weather made it difficult for both sides on a green looking pitch that Edge did very well to get in a reasonable state for play after the poor April weather.
Edge won the toss and invited local rivals Toft to bat first in conditions that made it difficult for the batsmen. Making a superb debut for Edge was Cheshire’s Jason Whittaker, who made it hard for the away side right from the start. He finished with figures of 5 for 53 off 18 overs and looks as though he is going to make a big impact on his return to Cheshire Premier League cricket. Edge skipper Mark Walker also bowled a highly effective medium paced left-arm spell of 14 overs, taking 3 for 55. Toft were indebted to Eddie Bones who made 51, and ex-skipper Nigel Muirhead, who made a telling contribution of 55 not out batting at number eight.
At tea, Edge would have been disappointed to have let Toft get to 192 for 8 declared, when at one point they had been 141 for 7 in the 44th over.
Edge struggled somewhat when they batted, with scoring generally slow, accompanied by a steady trickle of Alderley wickets. Last year’s Cheshire Premier league record run-scorer, Indian star, Sohail Rauf made 46 but Edge were looking second favourites at 88 for 6 after 32 overs. However, a beautifully judged innings of 55 not out from Jon Usher off 80 balls got Edge home with just 2 balls to spare in an exciting finale that had the home supporters nerves in shreds. Useful contributions of 20 from Simon Elliott and 24 from Adam Wildig looked to have been to no avail when Edge slumped to 179 for 9, but number 11 bat Andy James kept his nerve, and together with Usher, forced a morale-boosting victory.
Next week Edge are away at bogey ground Widnes, but may have one or both of their newly signed Lancashire players available to play to boost their chances.
|
