Grappers bounce back for unlikely win

GRAPPENHALL looked set to lose their 100 per cent record in the Chapel Press Cheshire County League – but bounced back to claim victory in remarkable circumstances.
Put in on a pudding of a track at Heaton Mersey, they were tumbled out for a lowly 95 in only 29 overs.
Only a powerful 26 off 16 deliveries from James McCoy, batting at number eight, enabled Grappers to set even that modest target.
But the home side found that small targets are not always easy to chase and were under pressure from the outset.
Accurate spin from Steve Titchard and Aussie paceman Jason Smith, bowling in tandem, soon had the wickets tumbling and Heaton Mersey finished on 89.
Smith finished with 5-8 and Titchard with 4-42 to clinch a remarkable victory.
Grappenhall hosted Premier League champions Nantwich in the first round of the T20 Cup and coasted home to victory.
Nantwich batted first and posted a modest total of 110 all out inside their 20 overs with the damage being done by Jason Smith, who took four wickets.
James McCoy hit an unbeaten 69 as Grappers coasted to victory with seven wickets and four overs to spare.
Grappenhall fielded a much-changed side for the second round game in the National Cup and went down to Farnworth from the Bolton League.
The visitors posted a formidable 207 and Grappenhall got off to a bad start, losing four wickets for 50 and never recovering to end up on 130.
Grappenhall 2nd went down by 70 runs when they entertained Urmston in the league.
Urmston posted 170 in 50 overs with the wickets shared among the Grappenhall attack.
Grappenhall’s reply never looked promising and they slumped to 75-6 and were eventually all out for 90 with overs to spare.
A much-changed Grappenhall 3rd travelled to Marple, also looking to preserve a 100 per cent start to the season
They put the home side in and despite good bowling from Ian Hall, Matt Titchard and Mick Metcalfe reached 174-9.
Grappenhall started their reply well, with Hall hitting a fine 65 but the middle order did not build on the good start and with 18 runs needed from the final over and the last two men at the wicket there was little choice but to play for the draw.
This they did and finished 15 runs short of their target.
Warrington chalked up a good win against Upton at Walton Lea.
Batting first, Warrington hit 158-9, Michael Rudd 30 and Simon Hewitt 33 not out. The visitors collapsed to 107 all out, Kyle Adams taking 4-40, Matt Adams 3-12 and Hewit completing a useful all-round performance with 3-22.
Warrington 3rd inflicted a crushing defeat on Macclesfield, also at Walton Lea.
Tim Rothwell hit 50 and Sam Houghton 61 as Warrington amassed 229-6 declared. Then the Warrington bowlers reduced the visitors to 43 all out, Wesley Charlton 3-12, James Waldon 2-12 and Ben McCarthy 2-5.
In the Meller Braggins League, Glazebury came out on top in a low scoring game with Pott Shrigley at Hurst Lane.
The visitors were bowled out for 69, Jack Warhurst taking 3-29, Rhys Marsh 3-11 and the evergreen Jon Gibbons 3-20.
Opener Wayne Hargreaves hit 23 and Warhurst 24 not out as Glazebury replied with 74-4.
Glazebury 2nd found the going toucher in the 2nd XI game at Pott Shrigley however. The home side were all out for a modest 129, Hakeem Dahou taking 5-19, but Glazebury could only muster 72, despite a fighting 25 not out from Phil McCue and 18 from Paul Warhurst.
Lymm Oughtrington Park went down by seven wickets at Bunbury.
Batting first, they were all out for 119, C Beck hitting 38 and B McIntosh 28. The home side coasted to 121-3.
Stretton were held to a draw against Alderly Park, batting first and declaring on 134-9, Mark Critchley 32 and Toby Mullins 45 not out. Alderley were hanging on at 86-8 at the close. A Ashraf was the pick of the Stretton bowlers.
Once again, a number of local matches were lost to the weather.
In the Cheshire Alliance, Appleton’s poor form continued as they suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of Tranmere Victoria at Lyons Lane.
The visitors batted first and declared on 219-3, Ehtisham Rashid with 2-28 proving the most effective of Appleton’s bowlers. The home side were then sent back to the pavilion for 99, with only three batsmen reaching double figures.