Relief for Marple after Nailbiter!
Marple 159 for 9 (47.2 overs) beat Romiley 155 all out (39.5 overs) 6 points by one wicket
After a run of five successive defeats, Marple recorded their ninth victory of the 2024 campaign, beating near rivals Romiley by the narrow margin of just one wicket.
This was a day when the top order of each side was blown away by fine seam and swing bowling. Romiley were able to post a competitive total, largely due to an excellent innings of 46 not out from Jim Bashford, whilst Marple owed their victory mainly thanks to a heroic knock of 58 by Rob Kingham, coming in at eight in the order.
With Marple’s top order out of sorts this season, Andrew Hall, unusually, chose to field first. The weather was overcast, and two sharp showers drove the players from the field during the early part of the afternoon, although no overs were lost from the game. Marple’s opening attack of Kingham and Jack Grundy was fired up. The pitch was one which had good carry, and there was movement with the new ball. However, no top order player on either side was able to weather the threat of the new ball, and cash in later when the conditions eased. Despite a disconcerting number of wides being sent down, both Kingham and Grundy targeted the stumps, and Romiley found themselves in disarray on 57 for 6, with five batters having being comprehensively bowled. Zac Macciocca was also brilliantly held at second slip by Mark Makin who never seems to miss anything in that position. He was also to pouch a further two catches in the outfield towards the end of the innings.
Bashford found a good partner for the seventh wicket in skipper Alex Hooten. Hall had, not unreasonably, bowled Kingham out, with Grundy having only a couple of overs in reserve. Third seamer Zac Phair was not able to keep up the early pressure, and although Joe Cash was his usual accurate self, runs began to flow as 56 priceless runs were added. Cash did remove Hooten (22), well held by Makin, but Brad Snape played a useful knock of 18 in support of the immovable Bashford, who showed that the pitch was perfectly playable with suitable application and patience. It wasn’t Makin’s day with the ball, but Charlie Hodgson picked up a wicket, that of Snape, with his first ball caught by Phair. With support from Flattley, Bashford took the total up to 155, which they would certainly have taken from the depths of 57 for 6 earlier. Kingham had 3 for 51, Grundy 3 for 18, Cash 2 for 28 and Hodgson 2 for 9 from four overs for Marple.
Romiley were certainly up for the fight after the tea interval. Once again, Marple tinkered with the order, and yet again a collapse ensued. Despite Hooten gifting five wides in his opening over, he and his partner Snape proved a real handful. Hooten held an excellent line around the batters’ off stump. With some movement either way, whilst Snape was able to extract extra pace and bounce which disconcerted the Marple batters.
It looked all over as a horror collapse saw the home team subside to 43 for 6. Snape was rested, and although the early threat of the new ball receded somewhat, Bashford and Sumner both bowled accurately as Makin and Kingham tried to resurrect Marple’s response. They added 44 with sensible application, but straight after the drinks break, a terrific arm ball from slow left arm spinner Sumner breached Makin’s defences and bowled him for 18. Although Hodgson, 4, added a further 15 with Kingham, he was yorked when Snape was reintroduced, Hooten hoping to wrap up the innings.
Jack Grundy is a talented batsman coming in at number ten, and when faced with responsibility has often risen to the occasion. Here, he sensibly saw off Snape’s spell and, with plenty of overs remaining, supported the admirable Kingham. The score built gradually, with determined batting, and no panic or rash strokeplay. The atmosphere grew tenser, as a packed and hushed pavilion sensed an unlikely victory. Nobody moved as the winning post came into view. At 146, Kingham was agonisingly lbw to Sumner, the ball keeping slightly low. What a knock this was from Marple’s terrific all rounder. Calm under pressure, and picking the exact moments to attack, he hit eleven fours. He was crestfallen on returning to the pavilion, but he need not have worried. Number eleven Joe Cash has seen these situations before. After taking a couple of deliveries to play himself in, he pulled a long hop from Sumner to the mid wicket fence to tie the scores. In the next over from Connor Bergin, the unflappable Grundy powerfully struck a full ball to wide long on for four to spark wild cheers and jubilation from the Marple players and spectators. Grundy finished 14 not out, and Cash 4 not out.
There has to be sympathy for Romiley in this game, having lost by the narrowest of margins, but the regulations of Win/Lose cricket went against them. With the potent Snape and Hooten bowled out, Marple were able to bat sensibly as the conditions eased in the glorious evening sunshine, the other bowlers steady but less threatening. The impressive, skiddy Snape had 5 for 38, Hooten 2 for 39 and Sumner 2 for 27.
After a run of five losses, it is hard to over-estimate the importance of this win for Marple. A certain amount of belief will have been restored, and they move up to third in the table. Next week, 3rd August, sees them at home once more with second placed Lindow the visitors. Weather permitting, this promises to be an excellent match, 12.00 noon start.
Marple seconds are in good form, mid season, and they comfortably defeated Alvanley at the scenic West Cheshire venue. Tom Reeve and George Clarke were potent with the new ball for Marple, each picking up three wickets, but Alvanley recovered well to post a respectable 147 all out. Numbers five to eleven in the order all posted double figure scores, with number nine Phil Erasmus top scoring with 35. He was a victim of the rare leg spin of Matt Barrow, and Joel Greasley also bowled a handy, if wicketless spell with his new offspinning style. It was Marple’s regular bowlers who did the damage though, Reeve 3 for 26, Clarke 3 for 28 and Hirst 3 for 40.
On the resumption, Dan Cox, 17, and Matt Barrow added a brisk 28 in five overs for the first wicket. However, it was Marple’s quality and experienced second wicket pair of Barrow and James Crisall who added 122, unbroken for the second wicket to ease the visitors to a fourth win in five games, Barrow 61 not out, and Crisall 52 not out.
The seconds are fifth in the table, and promotion is probably a long shot. However, a victory at second placed Nantwich next week could still give them a chance.
Marple/Compstall fourths totalled a fine 222 for 6 at the MHCG on Sunday against Toft thirds. Tom Lloyd hit a brutal 75, with seven fours and six sixes. Will Darby scored a slightly more sedate 53, with Dan Cox, 29, and Ben Bradley, 24, also showing up well. Nicky Wasilewski, with 2 for 14, and Jake Bibby, 2 for 40, kept going for the visitors in benign conditions.
However, Wasilewski was on fire with the bat, as his 60 from 48 balls laid the basis for a six wicket win for the visitors with just three deliveries remaining. He inspired an unbroken fifth wicket partnership of 103 between Matt Hildred, 35 not out, and Ian Todd with a hard hit 64 not out. Tom Bradbury was M/C’s best bowler with 2 for 26.