Grappers sneak back on top

GRAPPENHALL could only draw at Christleton – but managed to sneak back to the top of the Chapel Press Cheshire County League because main rivals Bowdon lost.
The results left Grappers seven points clear of the pursuing pack and they could feel well satisfied with their draw as they were missing three front line bowlers through injury.
Asked to bat first, they opened with James McCoy and Richard Green – and McCoy wasted no time in reaching his 50 in 65 balls while Green played anchor man.
Together they put on 124 in 31 overs before McCoy went for a fine 82.
Green went on to reach 62 but wickets began to fall and it required a brisk 47 from Gaz Burns before Grappenhall could post a total of 271-8.
It was always going to be difficult to get the home side out on a wicket that offered little to the bowlers and although Christleton’s middle order hit out the game fizzled out in the 35th over when they decided to shut up shop.
Adam Roylance took 4-85. as Christleton finished on 206-7.
Grappenhall 2nd beat Macclesfield by nine wickets after bowling them out for 86.
Table topping Grappenhall 3rd drew with Bramhall at Broad Lane.
The visitors batted first and reached 211-5, Shaun Phillips taking 3-22.
Grappenhall’s reply started badly but Neil Muttock scored a fantastic 125 before being run out as the run chase became more frantic.
Grappers ended on 201-8 – just 11 runs short of their target.
Warrington bowled out Timperley for 92 in just 33 overs at Timperley and then went on to claim victory by hitting 94-3 in 28 overs.
The 2nd XI game at Walton Lea also ended in victory for Warrington who batted first and reached 163, Jordan Mitchell 40, Ian Sleigh 30 and James Lewis 25.
Timperley could only muster 110 in reply, Ryan Swart taking 5-45 and Simon Hewitt 3-18.
In the Meller Braggins Cheshire League, Glazebury suffered a heavy defeat at Alderley Park after an inexplicable batting collapse.
Batting first, Glazebury were dismissed for a meagre 61, Jack Warhurst hitting a defiant 41 not out but no other batsman reaching double figures and seven of them failing to trouble the scorer!
The home side replied with 64-3.
Despite the fine weather, Glazebury 2nd had to abandon their home game as the Hurst Lane pitch was still waterlogged from the drenching it received the previous week.
In the Cheshire Alliance, Appleton reached a respectable 184-8 against Haslington at Lyons Lane. Opener Anthony Hurst hit 63 and Richard Clarke 38. But the visitors reached their target for the loss of four wickets.
Appleton 2nd were tumbled out for 44 at Sandbach after winning the toss and decided to bat. The innings was over in 30 overs.
Sandbach hit off the runs in 14 overs without losing a wicket.
Rylands 2nd went down by seven wickets against Wilmslow Wayfarers. Rylands won the toss and batted first but could only reach 136. Wayfarers coasted to 137-3.