Valuable win over high-flyers

GRAPPENHALL secured a valuable victory over high-flyers Toft in the Vivio Cheshire County League to climb to sixth place in the ECB Premier division.
Toft, who had home advantage, batted first and reached 198-9, in-form opener Jack Hancock hitting 100 not out and Rob Jones – from Stockton Heath – hitting 51. Luke Williams took 5-60 and SAussie import Josh McClelland 3-28 for Grappers.
Opener James McCoy got Grappenhall off to a good start with 58 but it was skipper Richard Green’s unbeaten 71 which ensured Grappers reached their target with three wickets to spare. Jones proved again how much of a loss he is to local clubs when he took 2-50.
Grappenhall 2nd stormed to a 90-run victory over the Toft second string at Broad Lane.
Skipper Mike Holder hit 76 with good support from Andy Tetlow, 42, Will Sharp, 54 and Neil Muttock, 45 not out, as Grappers reached 231-4.
Toft slumped to 141 all out, Albert Pennington bagging 3-17.
Grappenhall 3rd enjoyed a seven wicket win at Sale where Tom Hulme took 5-39 as the home side struggled to 134 all out. Grappers raced to 135-3, Mark Tyerman hitting 59 and Albert Pen nington, 33 not out.
Grappers won their third round Cheshire Cup game at Elworth – but only by one wicket and after an extremely tense finish.
Elworth elected to bat and were immediately in trouble at 15-3, and subsided to 80-8 with wickets being shared between Josh McClelland, 2- 20, Gaz Burns,3-14 and the most economical Jack Critchley, 1-10.
However Elworth`s pro, Yasir Ali was still at the crease and went on to make 126 out of 178.
Grappenhall were made to work hard against some tight Elworth bowling, and lost opener Adam Roylance with the score on 32. James McCoy in partnership with brother Luke made steady progress until James went with the score on 55 for a well composed 32.
Mike Sambell sportingly walked for a caught behind which he may have `got away` with, and Josh McClelland went for 15 playing across the line, at which point Grappers were 89-4.
Luke McCoy fell for a patient 31 at 93-5, and a lot of work remained if victory was to be achieved. In form skipper Richard Green joined Liam Parkinson, and made a quickfire 31, before been yorked by Ali, who similarly dismissed Gaz Burns and Matt Tithard, while Steven Southward fell for eight at the other end leaving the score on 154-9!
Liam Parkinson then took charge, cracking two fours and a huge six in between some enterprising running while Jack Critchley defended at the other end.
Grappers eventually reached their target with Parkinson 31 not out and now progress to the next round with an away match against either New Brighton or Cheadle.
In division two, Warrington strengthened their promotion challenge with a three wicket win at Weaverham where the home side were restricted to 176-9, Kyle Adams 4-63 and Sam Baxter 4-30.
Chris Kirby hit 52 and Richard Heaney 59 as Warrington progressed to 177-7.
Warrington 2nd suffered a heavy defeat at Walton Lea after being bowled out for 121 by Brooklands. Craig Vandsteenwinckel top scored with 26 and James Hughes hit 22.
Brooklands raced to 123-1.
Warrington 3rd won by three wickets at Urmston after dismissing the home side for 174, Charlie McElroy taking 4-68. Warrington replied with 178-7, Aaron Chaderton scoring a fine 98 to add to earlier performance of 2-25 with the ball.
In the Cheshire League, Lymm Oughtrington Park scraped a one wicket victory over Cholmondeley after a nail-biting finish at Oughtrington Lane. The visitors were dismissed for 109 and Lymm scampered the final run with the last pair at the wicket.
But the tables were turned when Lymm 2nd travelled to Cholmondeley. Lymm were bowled out for 136 and the home side coasted to 138-1.
In the Cheshire Alliance, Glazebury suffered a heavy defeat at Ellesmere Port after being tumbled out for 70. But it could have been worse. The final total was a big improvement on 25-8 or even 39-9. Tail-enders hitting the runs were John Acton, 19 not out, Rhys Marsh 14 and Jon Gibbons 13.
But Ellesmere Port made light work of their response, coasting to 73-3, despite Jack Warhurst’s useful spell of 2-15.
Stretton went down by the narrowest of margins when they entertained Stalybridge St Pauls.
Batting first, Stretton were bowled out for 120, Ben Clissold top scoring with 37 and John Wells hitting 27. The visitors reached their target with the last pair at the wicket, Clissold taking 3-26.
Stretton 2nd lost by two wickets at Wilmslow Wayfarers. Batting first they reached 154-9 and the home side replied with 157-8.
Appleton picked up a useful victory when Wilmslow Wayfarers travelled to Lyons Lane.
Danny Oliver took 3-38 as Wayfarers reached 186-8 declared. But the declaration proved optimistic as Appleton’s Ali Sharif, 58, Richard Clarke, 35 and Dave Hurst, 34, piled on the runs. They finished on 187-7.
Appleton 2nd went down by five wickets at Westminster Park after being bowled out for 137, Amir Aslam 27. The homeside cruised to 137-5.
Rylands travelled to Wistaston Village to be swiftly put back in the pavilion for 73, Richard Buck 27 being the only batsman to reach double figures.
The home side coasted to 75-1.
Rylands 2nd also suffered a heavy defeat being bowled out for 93 after Port Sunlight had declared on 218-5, G Sujith 4-80.