Grappenhall round off with a win

IN THEIR final match of the season, at home at Broad Lane, Grappenhall rounded off a season of two halves with an emphatic 6 wicket victory over relegated Urmston.
On winning the toss, Urmston opted to bat on a wicket which offered a bit to the bowlers throughout the day. At 66 for 2 they were going at around four an over, and looked as though they may post a challenging target.
However, it was from that point on that Sam Guest and Gaz Burns, already with a wicket apiece, then tore through the rest of Urmstons batting order, eventually bowling them out for 120 in the 38th over.
Sam was the star of the show, finishing with 7 for 49 off 18.3 overs, bowling unchanged from the start, his best return of the season. Gaz supported him admirably taking 3 for 37 off 12. One other noteworthy performance was that of Mike,(Dolly!) Parton who keeping wicket for the first time ever, took three catches and did a fine job for the team.
Grappenhall’s reply was brisk from the off, but then lost two wickets in successive balls leaving them at 26 for 2. With Jimmy MCcoy joining the skipper, Richard Green, the runs continued to flow, until Richard ‘ran past one’ and was stumped for a well made 30, and the score on 58 for 3.
Mike Parton joined Jimmy, and it looked as though the two of them would finish the job off, but after a succession of big hits all round the ground, Jimmy was bowled for an excellent 44. Mike too showed his class with some sumptuous strokes, and with Aussie Josh McClelland playing his last match for the Club having played two seasons, it was all over in the 25th over when Mike deposited the ball over wide long on for six, reaching 20 not out, and Josh 4 not out.
Grappenhall finished in 7th place in the Premier League, having once, after a great first half to the season, been in 2nd spot, then rather fell away in the last couple of months. But a creditable performance nevertheless.