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Match Reports for 2008 Season
Match Reports for Week Ending 27/07/2008
ECB Cheshire Premier League
Widnes 154
Alderley Edge 155-2
Alderley Edge won by 8 wickets
This was a crucial win by Edge in their quest for a first ECB Cheshire Premier League title and it could not have come at a better time with second place Bowdon suffering a shock defeat by Macclesfield, and Hyde also loosing unexpectedly at home.
Widnes won the toss and batted first at Moss Lane last Saturday on one of the few really hot and sunny days of the season but were soon in trouble. In fact at 68 for 8 off 29 overs the visitors looked in danger of being shot out for less than 100.
It was that man Jason Whittaker who was again the pick of the Alderley bowlers with four for 84, well supported by Lancashire’s Simon Marshall with 2 for 10, and Sohail Rauf 2 for 27. A dislocated finger suffered by Marshall, fielding in the slips, was partly responsible for Widnes getting back in the game, as Marshall had to leave the field for 12 overs for treatment to his injured finger. With teenager Alex Duckers batting well at number 9 and scoring a fine 49 not out, Widnes were able to put on 62 for the ninth wicket and eventually totalled a much more respectable 154 all out off 51 overs.
Edge opened up their batting after tea with some confidence with openers Mark Currie and Alan Day scoring 61 off the first 11 overs. Currie eventually fell for 34 and Day was finally out for 52, with the Edge batting attack having been joined by Sohail Rauf who joined in the free scoring mood. At the close Edge had needed just 27 overs to complete a comprehensive eight-wicket victory, Rauf unbeaten on 55, Widnes’ Australian leg-spinner Danny Pascoe taking both wickets to fall, and with fully 32 overs to spare, Edge capturing a maximum 25 points from the game.
Next week Edge are away in a local derby with Macclesfield, who will no doubt be buoyed by their success at Bowdon but Alderley have now established a commanding lead of 33 points in the premier league with seven games to go and must look to press home their advantage.
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