Promotion bid gathers pace

GRAPPENHALL’S promotion bid in the Right Move Abroad Cheshire County League is gathering pace.
They picked up 20 points with a win over struggling Winnington Park at Broad Lane in a game which see-sawed from the start.
Winning the toss, Grappers’ skipper Steve Titchard decided to ask the visitors to bat and were soon among the wickets. But then the Winnington batsmen began to play their shots and at 139-4 looked set to top 200.
Then Titchard took two wickets in an over and opening bowler Tetlow rolled over the tail to restrict the visitors to 178. Tetlow finished with 3-45 and Titchard with 3-39.
Grappenhall got off to a bad start and were at one time struggling at 32-3.
But Titchard, 28 and Liam Parkinson 47 not out steadied the ship before Alan Brady, 55 not out who was particularly destructive in carrying the home side through to a five wicket victory
Grappenhall 2nd played local rivals Warrington and earned 16 points from a drawn game which gave Warrington just seven points.
Electing to bat first, Grappenhall were able to declare on 221-8. Steve Hartley top scored with 52 well supported by Dean Langhorne, 42 and Mike Holden, 39.
Martin Houghton was the pick of the Warrington bowlers with 5-65 from 16 overs.
Warrington were soon in trouble against the pace and swing of young Sam Guest, who bagged two early wickets. Their troubles deepened after Guest’s second spell produced to more wickets and when young Ash Higham dismissed Horton Warrington were reduced to 91-8 with 16 overs still remaining.
Skipper Howard Morris joined Neil Owen to defy the Grappenhall bowlers and proceeded to keep their wickets intact and guided their team to a respectable 142- 8, Morris finishing with 23 not out and Owen 27. Sam Guest was the pick of the bowlers finishing with 4-27.
Warrington’s 1st XI went down by four wickets after failing to post a challenging target at Cheadle.
Malcolm Agar top scored with 41, Watkin hit an unbeaten 39 but the final total was a modest 147-9.
The evergreen Paul Agar took 4-63 when the home side batted, but they reached their target for the loss of six wickets.
In the Meller Braggins Cheshire League, Lymm Oughtrington Park could only muster 116-9 at Winsford. The home side also found runs hard to get but claimed victory for the loss of eight wickets.
Stretton chalked up a big win over Bunbury after declaring on 173-5, hill top scoring with 55. The visitors were
dismissed for a paltry 78, Ben Crissold taking 6-22.
In the Cheshire Alliance, Appleton went down by five wickets to Offerton at Lyons Lane.
Appleton scored 210-2, Tom Lomas scoring 62 not out and Richard Clarke 64 not out. Offerton reached 213-5.
At Offerton, Appleton 2nd beat the home side’s 2nd XI by 74 runs.
Batting firest, Appleton declared on 175-3, Brian Woods hitting 65 and Gareth Bailey 56. Offerton were dismissed for 101, Stuart Bate taking 5-15
Appleton 3rd went down by eight wickets against Didsbury. Appleton hit 128-8, Alan Rogers 53 and Andrew Thorley 25. Didsbury romped to their target for the loss of two wickets.
At Rylands, visitors Trinity won by nine wickets. The usually strong Rylands batting line-up was dismissed for 83 with Sean Malone making 38.
Trinity coasted to 84-1.
Glazebury went down by 140 runs at Ellesmere Port. The home scored 227-7 and Glazebury could only muster 87, Jon Gibbons making 34 and skipper Chris Lord 21.
Glazebury 2nd also lost heavily against the Ellesmere Port second string.
Batting first, Glazebury were dismissed for 86, skipper Andy Durrington hitting 33 and Julian May 26 not out,
Women’s cricket
Appleton were tumbled out for a paltry 36 by runners up Poynton in the Cheshire Women’s Cricket League.
Poynton lost two early wickets but had no trouble in reaching their target at 38-3.