Melrose sets up Macc’s triumph
MACCLESFIELD CC 1st XI hosted Widnes CC 1st XI at the weekend in a game sponsored by The Balti Kitchen, Macclesfield.
It was a glorious, hot sunny day and upon winning the toss Macc decided to have a bowl, on the basis that the wicket would dry out throughout the day.
Craig Melrose took the new ball and didn’t waste any time, expertly bowling one of the Widnes openers for a golden duck in the opening overs to leave Widnes 1-1.
The visitors regrouped, striking a few boundaries before Chris France took a great catch off the bowling of Melrose to dismiss Jonathan Campbell for 21, making the score 35-2.
This then became 35-3 as Melrose had the dangerman Majid Majeed caught for a golden duck at mid-wicket by Otis Palmes.
Chris Kirby and Alex Hewitt offered some resistance and built a good partnership before that man Melrose struck again, trapping the opener Kirby LBW for 23, leaving Widnes on 73-4.
Despite losing wickets, Widnes continued to score at a healthy rate, but also continued to lose more wickets during the middle overs, as Melrose claimed his five-wicket haul and spinner Rob Porter picked up a couple of scalps.
Hewitt batted compactly still and brought up his 50 as Widnes past the 100 mark, but when Melrose induced a false shot, seeing the batsman edge a drive to wicketkeeper Jim Melrose, who took a great diving catch, any hope of a big first innings score diminished as Widnes were now 129-8.
Macc soon bowled the visitors out as France and Porter took the last two wickets, dismissing the away side for 134 inside 34.4 overs.
Melrose was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with super figures of 6-54 off his 15 overs, ably backed up by Porter with 3-16.
Macc began their run chase with a bit of a wobble as Alex Griffiths and John Birchall were both given out LBW off the bowling of Qamar Hafiz and Majid Majeed, respectively, leaving the home side on 4-2, early on.
Khalid Sawas and Porter then negotiated a tricky spell of bowling as Widnes fought for the next wicket.
Macc managed to stay intact though as the pair batted sensibly and hit some timely boundaries to slowly take the game away from Widnes.
Sawas attacked the spinners and soon the run rate was gathering momentum, as Macc passed the fifty mark still 2 down. The pair put on 60 before Porter was adjudged LBW for 17, leaving Macc on 64-3.
Sawas continued to bat impressively, however, and picked up the pace with every passing over.
Peter Barron supported Sawas with singles and the odd boundary, keeping Macc on track for victory.
Sawas struck some big sixes as he brought up his half century and not long after, Macc passed the 100 mark, as they moved ever nearer Widnes’ total.
Barron was dismissed for 21 however, when Macc needed just nine to win.
Then Tom Isherwood was out LBW for 5, but victory was never in doubt as Macc crossed the line with Will Smith 1 not out and Khalid Sawas, finishing up with 83 not out, in what was a superb innings and a delight to watch for the spectators.
Macc chased the total down in 28.3 overs, winning by five wickets and taking 25 points to Widnes’ 4.
This weekend Macc travel to local rivals Bollington, in what promises to be an entertaining game of cricket, start time 1pm.
Macclesfield 2nds won impressively away at Timperley with Miles Bradshaw scoring a terrific 75 as Macc posted 204 and then bowled the hosts out for 147 as Barney Cutbill rolled back the years with figures of 4-31. Meanwhile, the 3rd XI lost out away to Poynton.