|
Match Reports for 2008 Season
Match Reports for Week Ending 31/08/2008
ECB Cheshire Premier League
Urmston 181
Alderley Edge 185-4
Edge won by 6 wickets
It’s crunch time in the ECB Cheshire Premier League with Alderley Edge facing Bowdon at Moss Lane next Saturday in a match that is likely to decide the destiny of the premier league title. Both teams won last Saturday, taking the maximum 25 points possible with Edge having a comfortable home victory over relegation favourites Urmston.
Urmston won the toss and decided to bat first on a wicket that was slightly slow paced after all the rain that has fallen in the last two weeks. Edge got off to a good start with Urmston 54 for 5 after 18 overs, but with captain Mark Walker off the pitch with a pulled hamstring after taking two wickets in an opening six over spell. The County Premier League’s top wicket-taker, Jason Whittaker, had yet another good day taking three wickets in a marathon 22 over spell, with Edge’s overseas star Sohail Rauf also taking three wickets in his spell of 12 overs. Edge did not fully press home there advantage however, letting Urmston take their score from 76 for 6, to 181 all out, with wicketkeeper Mike Ness 45 not out, and veteran Garry Saunders 41.
When Edge batted, openers Mark Currie and Alan Day set about the Urmston attack with some gusto, streaking to 92 without loss off just 12 overs. Day finally made 59 off just 48 balls, with Currie carrying Edge to the brink of victory with a superb 88 off 76 balls to make him the Premier League’s leading run-scorer with 893 runs with two games left to play. Edge number five David Leeming scored an unbeaten 21 as Edge eased home by 6 wickets with 30 overs still left in the day’s play to secure maximum points with Urmston looking almost certain to be relegated.
Edge need 15 points in total to make certain of a first premier league title from their last two fixtures which are both at home. Edge however are looking no further than next Saturday when second-placed Bowdon are the visitors in what is sure to be a fierce encounter, with Alderley aware they can take the Cheshire County League title outright for the first time in over 30 years if they can avoid defeat.
|
