ANOTHER fine win for Grappenhall underlined the club’s determination to climb back to the premier division of the Chapel Press Cheshire County League.
Losing the toss and being put in at Broad Lane, Grappers made a good start against the Christleton attack, putting on 50 for the first wicket before Gaz Burns was out for a solid 30.
Luke McCoy joined for Lancashire batsman Richard Green and together they put on 122 before McCoy departed for a fine 62.
Green was then joined by the in-form Aussie Jason Smith and they went on to take the score to 240-2 declared in the 47th over. Green finished on 105 not out and Smith on 39 not out.
Christleton struggled against the bowling of Sam Guest, 3-42 and Smith, 4-12 and were all out for 126.
It was one of three victories for Grappenhall during the week. They entertained Astley and Tyldesley in the first round of the National Knockout Cup, played on a 20-20 basis because of the weather. The visitors made 129-7, with wickets shared by Adam Roylance, Dan Hawke and Luke Williams. But it was veteran Andy Hards who really put the brakes on with his tidy spell of 2-14
Grappenhall reached their target with four deliveries left, Richard Green hitting a good 73.
The third victory for Grappenhall was at Oulton Park in the first round of the Cheshire Cup.
Oulton Park batted first but were bundled out for 84, with former Oulton Park bowler Andy Hards taking 5-18.
Grappenhall were struggling at 59-5. But skipper Liam Parkinson and Jason Smith struck a few lusty blows to take the team to their target in the 20th over.
Grappenhall 2nd travelled to Macclesfield in the league and posted a formidable 255 all out. James McCoy top scored with 75 and Albert Pennington 38.
Macclesfield made a brave attempt to reach their target but their last wicket fell at 207. Jack Critchley took 3-31, Liam Horsfield 3-62 and Pennington 3-73.
Grappenhall 3rd raced to a 10-wicket victory over Chester Boughton Hall.
The Chester side were held to 85-8, John Green taking 3-13 and Neil Titchard 2-13.
Openers Neil Muttock, 37 not out and Jamie Bye, 44 not out, took Grappers to 86-0.
Grappenhall 3rd also enjoyed an easy victory over Stockport Georgians, Shaun Phillips, 4-15 and Richard Wiles, 3-44, bowling them out for 139. Grappenhall replied with 140-1, Ian Hall 59 not out and Mark Tyerman 62.
Warrington chalked up an eight wicket victory over Timperley at Walton Lea.
Timperley were restricted to a modest 107, Matt Adams taking 6-24. Warrington replied with 108-2, Richard Heaney 37, Chris Kirbyt 34 not out and Paul Farrar 29 not out.
Warrington 2nd were at Timperley and totalled 145-8 to win in a nail-biting finish. Richard Taylor top scored with 35 not out and excellent bowling by Will Fleetwood, 3-34 and Chaitanya Gadepali, 3-29, saw the home side back in the pavilion for 142.
Warrington 4th went down by four wickets at Upton after being dismissed for 99, of which Derek Bate scored 55.
The home side reached 100-6, despite some good bowling by Bruce Jardine, 3-20.
Glazebury at last managed to get their season underway in the Meller Braggins Cheshire League, with a 22-run victory over Alderley Park.
Jack Warhurst top scored with 32 as Glazebury were dismissed for 102. Chris Lord hit a useful 25.
But Park collapsed to 80 all out, Rhys Marsh, 5-23 and Warhurst, 3-21, doing the damage.
There was a tense finish to Glazebury 2nd’s game against Alderley Park.
Glazebury batted first and were all out for a modest 89, Patrick Hutchinson 22. Alderley Park fell short by just three runs. Chris Ayre took 4-18 and Sean Caine 3-25.
A batting collapse led to Lymm Oughtrington Park losing by 56 runs against Romiley, who were held to 120-9 and then bowled Lymm out for 64.
Rylands emerged victorious by four wickets over Ellesmere Port in their Cheshire Alliance game.
Port were dismissed for 122, Ross Arrowsmith taking 6-64 and Richard Buck 3-26. Then Joe Harvey struck 40 for the Warrington side as they coasted to 125-6.
Appleton’s difficulties continued with a five wicket defeat at the hands of Haslington.
Batting first, Appleton were bowled out for 67. Top scorer was Ehtisham Rashid with 21.
Danny Oliver bowled well for 2-18, But Haslington coasted to 68-5.
Appleton 3rd came unstuck against Hartford, who batted first and reached 152-9, Aamir Aslam taking 5-23. Appleton were dismissed for 123, Paul Dempster top scoring with 28.
Ian Pearson’s 64 was the highlight of an otherwise dismal batting performance by Appleton 4th who were bowled out for 90 by Port Sunlight The visitors then replied with 91-7, with Chris Pearson taking 2-12.
Women’s cricket
CHESHIRE had a great opportunity to claim victory in their opening game of the season at Warrington – but threw it away because of a batting collapse.
Visitors Warwickshire were struggling on 47-4 until a composed, unbeaten 44 from Marie Kelly enabled them to recover to 139.
It was a tricky batting wicket and Cheshire made a good start to their reply and looked well placed after a partnership between Rachel Walsh and Raffaella Rodighiero, of Appleton, took them to 108-5.
But once this stand was broken, the end followed quickly with Cheshire subsiding to 119 all out.
