First Team
Kingham the Hero for Marple!
Marple 166 for 9 (49.4 overs) 20 points, beat Davenham 164 for 9 (50 over) 6 points by 1 wicket.
A flurry of sixes from Rob Kingham towards the end of this grimly fought game gave Marple victory by the slender margin of just 1 wicket with two deliveries of the final over remaining.
Home captain Sam Hunt opted to take first knock on winning the toss, and for once both Rob Kingham and Jack Grundy’s radar was off. Davenham got away to a useful start through Martyn East and Ben Gough, aided by a surfeit of wides. It was Ed Saxelby, with a terrific spell of 3 for 13 from ten overs that really gave Marple a semblance of control. He took the first three wickets to fall, and with Joe Cash sending down his ten overs for just 15 runs, a real battle of attrition ensued.
Muhammad Abid dropped anchor, almost literally. His painstaking 34 from 123 deliveries faced and just the solitary boundary halted the possibility of a collapse, but made for hard viewing. Hunt weighed in with 31 at number 7, and Davenham reached what look like a very handy total of 164 for 9 on a really tricky batting surface, the ball sometimes keeping low, sometimes popping off a length and never coming onto the bat. With his front line seamers wayward, Andrew Hall was very grateful to the increasingly canny left arm spin of Mark Makin. He bowled a terrific and deceptive spell, ending with 5 for 35 from 9 overs. Mike Schofield was excellent behind the stumps in his maiden first team game of the season. 35 extras was not what the doctor ordered though, and these contributed the highest score of the Davenham card.
Marple were up against it all the way through their innings, a feisty home side revelling being on top of the game. Sam Stretton was lbw first ball to Gough from one that skidded through low, and despite a few defiant blows from Schofield, Marple soon found themselves 30 for 4, the accurate Gough having 3 for 16. The following overs showed the grit that runs deep through the Marple line up. A determined Fitzgerald, 19, and a classy looking Hall, 32, added 37, then Hall and Makin, a gutsy 26 with two sixes, a further 28 for the sixth wicket. The home bowlers all proved awkward though, and at 119 for 7, surely Marple’s winning streak was coming to an end? Self-belief runs through this side though, and with Grundy, 6, Rob Kingham added a further 23. Joe Cash helped add a further 16 as Kingham brutally despatched East for two sixes in the penultimate over, but he spooned a catch to point attempting to give the mighty Kingham the strike. Saxelby and Kingham then ran a bye to the wicket keeper, before Kingham, 39 not out, slammed a crestfallen Bensch straight out of the ground for six to clinch the game for Marple, against the odds.
An astonishing win for Marple this, and a dispirited Davenham left the field, having earlier seemed almost certain to gain their first win of the season. Muhammed Abid had 3 for 24, with his testing leg spin, and paceman Bensch 2 for 29. Next Saturday, 8th June, Marple are at home to Oulton Park, 12.00 start.
Second Team
Marple seconds could not back up their win of the previous week, and were comfortably defeated by Sale seconds at Bowden Lane last Saturday. The margin of 39 runs would have been much higher but for a belligerent knock of 48 by Joel Greasley coming in at 77 for 5.
Earlier Sale totalled a challenging 185 all out. Elliot Norris, 68, top scored, and he received good lower order support from Palaninathan, 21, and Habershon 22 not out. Marple stuck gamely to the task in the field, James Hirst 2 for 39, Charlie Hodgson 2 for 57 and George Clarke 2 for 42.
Despite a cultured 35 from Hodgson, Marple were always off the pace, with wickets falling regularly. Greasley entertained the crowd, but ultimately fell well short on 146 all out. Mark Soans with 3 for 36 was the most successful bowler in a consistent Sale attack.
Third Team
The Third team carried on their good form as they moved to second in table with a comfortable win over Cheadle Hulme Ladybridge’s 2nd XI. Electing to bat first Marple recovered from 35 for 3 thanks to a 62 run stand between the classy Andy Massey (56) and the elegant Alex Nuttall (38) who both managed the very slow and low wicket well. Ben Cunniffe again was in good form making 21 as the home side finished on 156 for 9.
In reply Cheadle never really got going against Marple’s attack, Neil Hurren was as miserly as ever taking 1 for 13 from his 7 overs, while opening bowler partner Greg Marsland bowled 10 over on the bounce to return with 4 for 37. At 104 for 5 it looked like the away side had a chance but Lee Sanders (2 for 22) and Tom Lloyd (3 for 7) turned the screw taking the last 5 wickets for just 2 runs as Cheadle finished on 106 all out and a 50 run victory for Marple. The bowlers were helped by great catches and fielding epitomised by teenagers Ben Bradley & Cam Reid.
Fourth Team
The fourth team won their game at Timperley on Sunday. A good team effort saw the away side post 172 all out and in reply the home side had were bowled out for 114 giving Marple’s young side a much needed 58 run win.
Fifth Team
The fifth team lost in a close game away at Old Glossop. The team is mainly compiled of teenagers with a few experienced players to support them. The youthful bowling side restricted the home side to 143 for 8 from their 35 overs, with a wicket apiece for youngsters Liam Tanker, Sammy Grover, Sophie Sanders, Luke Leighton and Sam Cunniffe taking 3 on his debut.
In reply Marple’s youngsters couldn’t quite provide enough support for the seniors as they finished agonisingly short when Will Darby had to join Lewis Braddock in retiring having both made half-centuries and leaving Sanders with no-one to bat with and just 6 runs to get in 10 overs.