Pitch mop up to beat the weather

A MASSIVE “mop up” by Grappenhall’s team in the morning enabled their crucial match against Brooklands to get started on a reduced overs basis at a damp Broad Lane.
Grappers inserted the opposition on a bowler-friendly wicket and opening bowlers Sam Guest and Steve Titchard bowled unchanged throughout.
Brooklands were soon struggling at 22-3 and with Titchard in particular bowling with considerable turn and variations of flight were dismissed for a modest 94.
Titchard finished with 7-26 including a hat trick.
Richard Green and Adam Roylance put on 46 for the first wicket for Grappenhall, but at 55-3 there was still work to be done.
Luke McCoy, 27 and Gaz Burns, 17 not out responded in a very positive and entertaining manner and swiftly reached the target.
It was 25 points in the bag for Grappers, but with Bowdon also winning, they remain second in the Chapel Press County League division one title chase – just two points adrift..
Grappenhall 2nd drew at third placed Hyde after restricting the home side to 210-7, Richard Wiles taking five wickets.
There were good 30s from Rob Slater and Will Sharp and an aggressive 49 from Green as Grappers replied but three runs were needed from the last ball for victory and it was not to be.
A draw was a setback for Grappers’ title aspirations, but the chase will continue next week.
Grappenhall 3rd put Stockport Georgians in after skipper Tom Roberts won the toss – and the decision proved a good one with the opposition losing a wicket with the second ball of the match and two further wickets falling quickly.
The Stockport side were all out for 97 in 34 overs, with Albert Pennington picking up four wickets, Ian Hall three and Paul Tyreman two.
Grappenall lost a couple of early wickets but Hall stroked the ball around to reach the modest target in only 24 overs.
In the quarter finals of the Twenty20 Cup, Grappenhall defeated Middlewich by 33 runs, Luke McCoy hitting 51 and Adam Roylance 41 in an all-out total of 135. Middlewich could only reach 102-6.
Warrington went down heavily against Congleton at Walton Lea.
The visitors batted first and reached 246-6, Kyle Adams proving Warrington’s most effective bowler with 3-80.
Warrington never looked in the hunt and were dismissed for 120, top scores coming from Paul Farrar, 32 and Andy Kirby, 20.
In the Meller Braggins Cheshire League, Lymm Oughtrington Park had to hang on for a draw when they entertained Aston.
The visitors hit 167-9, despite good bowling from Kevin Wright, 5-65 and skipper Phil Whelan, 3-80.
Lymm were always behind the over rate and were 88-8 at the close, Chris Vansteinhinkel hitting 20 and Geoff Miller 27.
In the Cheshire Alliance, Appleton 2nd declared on 182-4, Ali Sharif 74, hosting Frodsham.
But the visitors made short work of reaching their target for the loss of five wickets.
Appleton 3rd went down at Chester Asians, hitting 133-9 after winning the toss but then seeing the home side hit 134-7.
Veteran Alan Rogers hit 50 for Appleton 4th after visitors Mellor had hit 209-7, Mahrukh Inayat taking 4-26.
But it was not enough as Appleton were all out for 113.
Again, a number of local matches were cancelled due to waterlogged pitches.