Grappers win – despite the rain

RAIN had a devastating impact on the local cricket programme – but Grappenhall managed to complete their game with local rivals Toft in the Vivio Cheshire County League.
Skipper Richard Green won the toss at Broad Lane and invited the visitors to bat on a wicket that always offered something to the bowlers. The game was reduced to 37 overs per side and Toft could reach only 142-7 thanks to accurate bowling from Sam Guest, 3-62 and Ian Barnes, 4-30.
After tea, the sun broke through and Grappers got off to a fine start, openers Adam Roylance and James McCoy putting on 84 for the first wicket. Roylance fell for 33 but McCoy continue to attack an indifferent bowling attack reaching his half-century with a six and finishing on 89 not out.
The win enabled Grappenhall to leap-frog Toft and move up to fifth in the table.
Warrington also managed to play their game at Upton, batting first and reaching 150-6, Chris Kirby hitting 47 and Andy Kirby 36. The home side reached 151-8 despite Kyle Adams taking 2-51 and Brad McIntosh 4-44 with good spells of bowling.
All other Saturday matches involving Warrington sides were cancelled due to the weather.
But on Sunday, Grappenhall 3rd travelled Marple where a closely contested game was eventually cutshort by rain and each side earned seven points.
Grappenhall batted first and posted a below par 133 all out in the last over, with Ben Bodha hitting 50 and Albert Pennington 35. Some tight bowling made it difficult for the batsmen as they found runs hard to come by on a pitch that wasn’t easy to bat on.
It was then the bowlers’ job to make it equally as hard for the Marple batsmen and in the first over Stanley Pennington cleaned up their captain with an absolute pearler of a delivery that beat the bat with swing. A couple more wickets followed for Josh Hayes and Matt Brown but the runs flowed a little too freely. The heavens opened before 7pm and once the rain stopped it was decided that the pitch was unplayable with standing water on the outfield, despite the best attempts by the Marple lads. Marple were well set with another 60 runs for victory with seven wickets in hand and what would have been 10 overs remaining but for the rain.