Grappers make it three in a row

GRAPPENHALL cemented their position at third in the ECB Premier division of the Vivio Cheshire County League with a thumping seven wicket victory at Didsbury.
It was their third win on the trot and left them just two points behind second club Chester Boughton, who they play at Broad Lane next Saturday.
Winning the toss, Grappenhall invited their hosts to bat first on a wicket of variable bounce that looked helpful to the seam bowlers.
So it proved, with Grappers’ pacemen inflicting early damage.
Didsbury were back in the pavilion fofr a meagre 92 after just 37 overs.
Josh McClelland took 4-28 and Luke Williams 3-31 while Gaz Burns and Jack Critchley took a wicket each wont one run out to complete the rout.
Grappenhall`s reply was positive with James McCoy hitting a typically quick and agressive 17 before mistiming a pull to deep square leg.
Luke McCoy at three settled himself in, but Adam Roylance then departed for eight with the score at 42-2.
With the threat of rain around, big hitter Gaz Burns was promoted, a move that on this occasion didn’t work as he was quickly out.
Meanwhile Luke McCoy became increasingly more expansive and along with Mike Sambells the pair completed the job with Grappenhall reaching their target in the 21st over. Luke played a fine innings of 42 not out with nine crisp boundaries and Mike a neat 13 not out.
Didsbury turned the tables in the 2nd XI game at Broad Lane,howver, with Grappers crashing out for 93. Albert Pennington, 25 and Daniel Hawke, 29 were the main run-getters. Didsbury knocked off the runs for the loss of four wickets – three of them to second-change bowler Pennington at a cost of 14 runs.
But for a couple of missed chances, Grappers could have snatched an unlikely win.
Grappenhall 3rd stretched their winning run to five at New Brightonk, dismissing the home side for 72, Shaun Phillips taking four wickets.
Grappers knocked off the runs for the loss of four wickets.
On Sunday, Grappenhall bowed out of the Cheshire Cup against a strong New Brighton side.
New Brighton batted first and after getting off to a poor start at 48-2 recovered to race to a formidable 279 for 9 in their 45 overs. Josh McClellend was the pick of the Grappenhall bowlers by some distance, picking up three wickets and a brilliant run out, while Gaz Burns came back strongly towards the end with two victims.
In reply Grappenhall got off to an electric start, aided by some wayward pace bowling from New Brighton with a host of extras aiding their progress. Jimmy McCoy, while playing in a cavalier style took the challenge up before going for an attacking 34, not long after his opening partner, Adam Roylance got what looked like a harsh lbw decision. Thereafter the innings rather limped along, with the middle order finding it tough going against a mix of pace and some fine spin bowling. It was only through some lusty hitting from the tail that Grappenhall eventually reached 200 all out.
In division two, Warrington suffered a disappointing defeat at Davenham after winning the toss and asking the home side to bat first.
Davenham totalled a gettable 190 – but Warrington collapsed to 120 all out.
In the Cheshire League, Lymm Oughtrington Park bowled out Chelford for 71 and then coasted to victory with 74-5.
Appleton raced to an eight wicket win over Saughall at Lyons Lane in the Cheshire Alliance.
The visitors were tumbled out for 79, Edward Pugh taking 4-53 and Danny Oliver 6-24. Appleton replied with 80-2, Ali Sharif 29 not out and David Lomax 26 not out.
Glazebury’s run of miserable form continued with a heavy defeat at Old Parkonians.
The home side hit 247-7, Hakeem Dahou proving Glazebury’s most effective bowler with 3-77 and Chris Lord taking 2-29.
But the batsmen failed en masse and Glazebury crashed out for 57 and the result left the side rooted at the foot of league table.
Glazebury 2nd also suffered a heavy defeat when they took on Mossley at Hurst Lane.
The visitors hit 193-8, Chris Ayre 4-37 and Ryan Warhurst, 3-25 sharing the bowling honours. But again the batsmen failed and Glazebury were dismissed for 79.
Stretton – who are just one place above Glazebury in the table – went down by six wickets against Wilmslow.
Batting first they were dismissed for 103, E Malik 40. Wilmslow replied with 104-4.