Grappenhall suffer heavy defeat at home

GRAPPENHALL suffered a heavy defeat at home on a day when heavy rain the previous day resulted in many matches being called off due to waterlogged pitches.
Visitors Didsbury won the toss and asked Grappers to bat first on a wicket that was clearly going to favour the bowlers.
So it turned out as the home side were back in the pavilion with only 83 on the board and no batsman reaching 20.
The ever reliable Sam Guest picked up two early wickets when the visitors batted but after that Didsbury took control and coasted to their modest target without further loss.
On Saturday, Grappenhall travel to newly-promoted Oulton Park hope for an upturn in their fortunes.
But if Grappers 1st XI are finding life hard in the Vivio Cheshire County League premier division, the 2nd XI are not.
An all-round performance by skipper Ross Arrowsmith was largely responsible for their 40-run victory at Didsbury.
They started badly, at 13-3 but Arrowsmith then plundered 60 runs to get them back on track and at the end of the innings, Matt Titchard smashed 50 off 38 balls to take them to a respectable total of 170-8.
Then Arrowsmith picked up 5-42 which, with good support from Ben Cagna, 3-21, put the home side back in the pavilion for 130.
Warrington’s game at Walton Lea fell victim to the weather and Warrington 2nd, travelling to Upton were bowled out for 77. The home also struggled for runs but claimed victory with two wickets to spare.
Lymm Oughtrington Park’s game in the UKFast Cheshire League was washed out but the 2nd XI played at Chelford where they earned a hard fought draw.
The home side batted first and hit 246-8, with Shovan Chattergee, 3-32 and Mohammed Wali, 3-53, the pick of the Lymm bowlers.
After losing two early wickets, Lymm went for the draw, Arvind Pillai hitting 50 not out and Christopher Hames 34.
Appleton had more reason than most to curse the rain. Despite the club signing a new sponsorship deal with Axminster Tools & Machinery during the week, the new shirts have yet to see action as the 1st XI were forced to call off their match due to a waterlogged pitch at Lyons Lane.
Rain also cost the 2nd XI a chance to push for a win at Oxton. A superb 90 from opener Bob McDonald saw Appleton post 177-8 from their 45 overs and in response, the hosts were struggling at 34-3 when a deluge brought play to an early finish.
Both the 3rd and 4th XIs suffered heavy defeats. The 3rd XI were bundled out by Wilmslow Wayfarers. Despite being reduced to 0-2 in response they recovered to win with eight wickets to spare.
The 4ths were bowled out for 109 at Winnington Park and the hosts knocked off the runs for the loss of just one wicket.
Glazebury enjoyed a good victory over Trafford Metrovics at Hurst lane.
Batting first, they posted a respectable 163, skipper Anthony Meulman leading from the front with 29, Nirpal Bansel hitting 27, Simon Green 22 and Sam Stanier 22.
Then they dismissed Metrovics for 67, David Nicholson taking 4-24, Jack Warhurst 2-9 and Jordan Carroll 2-3.