Grappers triumph despite the rain

RAIN wiped out a good proportion of the first day of the Warrington area cricket season.
But Grappenhall, bidding to get back into the ECB Premier Division of the Chapel Press Cheshire County League managed to beat the weather and opponents Bredbury St Marks at Broad Lane.
Grappenhall were asked to bat first on a green, rain affected wicket and made a slow start, with wickets falling at regular intervals.
At 62-3, Grappers’ new Aussie all-rounder Jason Smith arrived at the crease and soon set about dispatching the attack to all corner of the ground with an aggressive 60 from just 35 balls.
The side were all out for 174 in only 45 but Liam Parkinson’s tea interval team talk was much easier thanks to Smith’s hard hitting innings.
Bredbury were soon in real trouble in their reply at 9-3 and never really got going and were all out for 90.
Daniel Hawke, 2-31, Sam Guest, 3-11 and Adam Roylance 3-2 did the damage, with Smith fittingly taking the last wicket, 1-3.
It was a perfect start to the new season with 25 points in the bag.
Grappenhall 2nd went down at rainy Neston in controversial fashion after being put in on a wet wicket.
Five wickets fell quickly, with James McCoy’s 23 the only contribution of note.
Skipper Mike Holden, 48 and Andy Hard, 39 took the score passed 100, which had been looking in doubt at one time and then debutant Liam Horsefield added some useful lower order runs to leave Grappers with a competitive 168.
Neston looked in trouble but their Number Six hit a well paced 50.
Later, the Neston 1st XI skipper came in at Number Seven after his own game at Widnes had been cancelled and hit a useful 40 which took the game away from Grappenhall.
Warrington 1st XI’s game was cancelled, but the 2nd XI had a good win at Irby, where the home team were dismissed for 115, Joel Chaderton 4-25. Warrington had to fight for runs but eventually ran out winners on 116-8, Ashley Scholes 21, Tom Corroboy 19.
Glazebury’s first game after promotion to the Meller Braggins Cheshire League was cancelled due to the weather.
But the 2nd XI had a good win at Hurst Lane, where the ground staff worked miracles to make the pitch playable.
Glazebury batted first against Langley and were dismissed for 120, Matthew Shailer top scoring with 29 and Andy Durrington hitting 23.
The visitors were dismissed for 106, Shailer completing a fine all-round performance with 4-17 and Sean Caine taking 2-16.
The Cheshire Women’s League was due to start at the weekend, but the only scheduled game, champions Appleton against Romily and Dinting, was abandoned to the weather.