Relegation fear still real for Macc
MACCLESFIELD CC were back in action at home to Toft CC at the weekend in a game sponsored by local firm, East Cheshire Mortgages.
Toft won the toss and decided to field first.
Macc opened with Ben Marsden and Oliver Marsden (unrelated) and started compactly. However, a brief rain delay Oliver Marsden was caught at cover off the bowling of Andrew Jackson. Australian Nick Bertus came to the crease and hit a four off his first ball but was caught at a deepish gully not long after leaving Macc on 30-2, once again off the bowling of Jackson.
Rob Porter and Ben Marsden consolidated but play was frequently interrupted with short sharp showers, making it hard to build any real momentum. The pair took the score past 50 when the showers finally stopped for a few minutes.
Not long after though, Ben Marsden was caught behind for 25 off the bowling of Jackson and Macc were now 60-3. This soon became 61-5 as Porter (18) was adjudged to have edged Beesley’s bowling to the wicketkeeper and then James Cross became Jackson’s fourth victim when he snicked a seaming delivery to first slip.
In between the flurry of wickets, the game had been interrupted several more times due to the rain and one more departure from the field was to be the last. The umpires called an early tea but with more showers during the interval the ground soon became unfit to play on and the match was abandoned at 4.30pm. Both teams take seven points and Macc still remain in the relegation zone with four games to go. Meanwhile, the second XI did manage to get a game in away at Toft. The hosts won the toss and fielded first. Macc were bowled out for 151 after 49.4 overs. Angus Thomson (24), Jim Melrose (27) and Will Smith (35) were the key contributors with the bat. With the ball,Stu Parks took two wickets, with Tom Key and youngster Alex Welsh also claiming a wicket apiece but unfortunately Macc just couldn’t put enough pressure on the hosts as Toft cruised home with 15 overs to go with six wickets in hand. Ed Stubbs finished on 100 not out for Toft.
The third XI’s match was conceded by Alderley Park who were unfortunately unable to muster up a team, so Macc take the points. The 1st XI are away at Urmston this coming weekend in a must-win game. Oakmere 111-8 (40; Kerry Hartnett 50*, Kate Coppack 3-21) (14pts) Chester Boughton Hall 53-2 (15; Lorna Starkey 25, Coppack 21*) (16pts) Chester Boughton Hall are the Cheshire Women’s League champions for the first time since 2013, and here the points they gained from an abandoned match at Oakmere were enough to see them to glory with fully two matches to spare.
Captain Lorna Starkey and Kate Coppack have both had a superb season and again featured prominently here.
This latest triumph comes just seven days after Chester were crowned Cheshire’s T20 champions.
It all marks a significant turnaround from last season, when Chester lost their last four completed Stockport Trinity took a giant step towards the division two title here. Despite a fine spell of 3-5 in seven overs from Rivca Burns, Trinity chased down their small target and now once again lead the division by 24 points.
Although the Stockportbased side face a trip to second placed Wistaston Village on the final day, the title race may all be over by then.
Trinity will officially be champions if they win at Didsbury on September 4 and Wistaston fail to beat Ashton-on-Mersey; or else if both teams lose and Trinity gain two more points than their rivals in doing so.
In any case, a Trinity win on this day will all but guarantee the title regardless of Wistaston’s result.