Grappers close in on top-spot

GRAPPENHALL closed in on the top spot with a 25-point five wicket win at Sale in the Vivio Cheshire County League division one.
Leaders Didsbury lost so Grappers moved to within 20 points of them and increased their lead over third placed Oulton Park, who could only draw.
But Grappenhall’s game was not without its scares. After restricting the home side to 115-9 on a day when runs were hard to get they lost four quick wickets for 27 themselves. It was only when Jamie Bye, 23 and Ryan Ninan, 49 not out, came together that the tension eased.  Even so, there were only two balls remaining when Grappers finally secured the win.
Best bowlers for Grappers were Ninan, 3-6, Gas Burns, 3-30 and Albert Pennington, 3-29.
Crunch time comes this weekend when there will be a top-of-the-table clash with Didsbury at Broad Lane.
Grappenhall 2nd drew with the Sale second string at Broad Lane, Grappers taking first knock and totalling 198, Iain Wright top scoring with 52.   Sale finished on 186-9 after at one time looking well set for victory but then falling behind the run rate.
Only defeat of the day for the Broad Lane club was the 3rd XI game which saw Grappers bowled out for 97, John Hayes 37 and Didsbury coast to 101-3, Hayes taking 2-28.
Warrington went down by four wickets to Bollington at Walton Lea, James Rudd top scoring with 32 as the side were bowled out for 163. Brad McIntosh hit 27 and Malcolm Agar and Adam Green 25 each.
Huw Stone took 2-44 and Rob Batey 2-34 as the visitors reached 164-6.
In the Cheshire League, Appleton won by three wickets entertaining Chester County Officers at Lyons Lane.
The visitors were restricted to 180-76, Kanithiraj Gavaskar taking 2-56, Tom Lomas 2-57 and Aamir Rashid 2-25. Skipper Lomas hit 53, Alex Wright 34 and Sam Cooper 25 as Appleton replied with 181-7.
Lymm Oughtrington  Park held on for a draw at Heaton Mersey where the home side batted first and h it 163-9. Robert Hutton took 4-36 and Jake Hughes 3-35. Lymm’s reply of 137-7 included fine knocks from Asim Shah, 42 and Avind Pallai 46.
Stretton 2nd raced to an eight wicket victory over visitors Wirral who were bowled out for a mere 49. Shahid Khan took 4-16 and S Ehmed 3-5. Andy Bolton hit 19 not out for Stretton.
Warrington 4 were skittled out for 43, with not one batsman reaching double figures, at Port Sunlight, where the h ome side hit off the runs for the loss of one wicket.
In the Cheshire Alliance, a below-strength Glazebury were dismissed for 136 at Winsford, Anthony Meulman top scoring with 30, Callum Morgan hitting 28 and David Nicholson 23. The home side strolled to 137-4, Morgan taking 2-15 and Christopher Ayre 2-35.
Appleton 4 hit a respectable 187 at Bowdon Vale, John Porter top scoring with 40 and Paul Grumley 31. But it was not enough to deny the home side who replied with 188-5, Ian Findley taking 2-36.