Miracle needed to save Grappers from the drop

A MIRACLE is now required for Grappenhall to remain in the top flight of Cheshire cricket following another heavy defeat.
Only three matches remain – all away from home – and Grappers are bottom club in the Vivio Cheshire County League premier division.
Put in to bat at Hyde, Grappenhall’s all-out total of 164 was never going to be enough on a small ground.
Jimmy McCoy made 27, Albert Pennington 25, Adam Roylance 24 and Warwick Abrahim 22, but no-one built a big innings.
Despite some interruptions due to rain, Hyde fairly raced to their target and reached 166-3 in only the 25th over, a run rate of 6.8 runs per over.
Grappenhall`s only wicket takers were Sam Guest with two and Albert Pennington with one.
The final three matches are all tough ones at Nantwich, Neston and Chester.
Grappenhall 2nd travelled to relegation threatened Middlewich and batted first on a good track.
Fourteen-year-old Arthur Pennington and 16-year-old Arran McCabe opened the batting and when Arran fell for 46, Arthur began to take things up another level, showing real composure to score freely against some good bowling. Ably supported by Ollie Turpin with a 50, Arthur finished on 127 not out – his maiden century for the club.
Grappers posted 245-1 but Middlewich were looking well placed to reach their target with 69 needed from nine overs and only two wickets down when thunder and lightening ended the game as a draw.
The weather also cut short Grappenhall 3rd’s game and handed the league title to their opposition, Didsbury.
Grappenhall needed a win to stop Didsbury taking the title and had the home side struggling on 90-8 when the rain came and no further play was possible.
In division two, Warrington came unstuck for the second week on the run, going down at Widnes. With top team Bollington winning and third placed Mobberley getting the better of a rain-affected draw, Warrington now need to get back to winning ways if they are to win promotion.
They are just 14 points ahead of Mobberley.
Batting first at Widnes they reached  190 for seven, James Hughes top scoring with 80 not out and skipper Richard Heaney offering good support with 32. But Widnes knocked off the runs for the loss of only four wickets.  Ashley Scholes took 2-41.
Warrington 3rd were bowled out for 71 at Didsbury and saw the home side hit off the runs for the loss of three wickets.
In the TACS Partnership Cheshire League, Lymm Oughtrington Park stayed on course for promotion to the first division after winning a close-fought game with Cheshire County Officers at Oughtrington Lane.
CCO batted first and were all out for 113,  with Blair Weller, Nick Chadbourne and Travis Scholes all taking three wickets.
Lymm found runs hard to get but reached their target with two wickets to spare, Nafees Din top scoring with 38 not out.
A depleted Lymm Oughtrington Park were bowled out for 52 and then saw homesters Heaton Mersey hit off the runs without loss.
In the Cheshire Alliance, Stretton took another big stride towards the division one title when they bowled out Trafford Metrovics for 86 and then knocked off the runs for the loss of three wickets.
Stretton 2nd lost by one run in an exciting game at Stalybridge St Pauls.  The home side reached 109-8 and Stretton were bowled out for 108.
Promotion hopefuls Appleton were beaten by the weather and had to settle for 12 points when their game at Wistaston Village was abandoned.
Appleton had hit 192-7, Ali Sharif 74, Martin Cooper 41 and the home side were 104-3 when the rains came.
At Lyons Lane, Appleton 2nd were dismissed for 104 and saw the Groves reach their target with four wickets to spare. Michael Cumberland took 3-23.
A below strength Glazebury went down by five wickets at The Groves. Batting first they were all out for `180, Tom Wilkinson 74.  The Wirral side got the runs for the loss of five wickets, Chris Ayre taking 2-17.