Dire batting show sees Langley slip
LANGLEY 1st XI slipped to third place in Cheshire League 3 after an abject batting display saw them well beaten away at Chester County Offices.
The hosts elected to bat on a good fast deck which offered the bowlers some assistance.
They lost an early wicket as Adam Cartwright bowled Banks (0) with his first ball in the second over.
At the other Matty Betteridge bowled with great skill regularly beating the bat with no reward.
The score reached 24 in the 10th over when Betteridge trapped the dogged Holland (7) LBW.
Putson and Hebaiter both looked in good nick. Especially the latter who dispatched anything loose.
The duo doubled score before Putson (34) edged to keeper Pat Horgan as Betteridge claimed a much deserved second scalp.
Downham (6) soon followed bowled by Callum Love with the score on 61-4. Langley held the upper hand.
Dodd joined Hebaiter, the momentum changed the pair ran well and hit several elegant blows as they put the hosts on the front foot. They added 69 in 15 overs.
The introduction of the recalled David Frame saw Dodd (24) drill to midwicket where Cartwright took a good catch.
Hebaiter continued to push the score along.
He eventually perished for 70 mistiming a drive off Frame, Oli Wheelton taking a good catch at mid off.
Steve Whittingham then claimed two quick wickets; Bates (0) and Green (5) both falling to the wiley veteran as Horgan stumped both.
Johnson (4) was trapped LBW by Frame as Chester were wobbling on 161-9. Credit to Watchman (21no) who allowed Chester to close on 186-9 off their 45 overs.
Frame 3-30 off 8 overs, Whittingham 2-41 off 10 overs, Betteridge 2-53 off 14 overs, Love 1-18 off 6 overs and Cartwright 1-37 off 7 overs.
After a fantastic tea, Langley got off to a terrible start in the face of some fine bowling as they were in tatters on 11-4.
Zak Howdle (0) was bowled second ball, and Morgan (6) fell in similar fashion. Cartwright (5) was caught at gully and Horgan (0) clipped to short fine leg.
Oli Wheelton and James Bennet showed some grit.
The score reached 50-5 when the former was caught in the covers for 26.
Tom Potts joined Bennet and they defied the bowlers, surviving for 10 overs before Potts (0) was caught at slip as Langley looked to settle for a draw.
The stubborn Bennet (28) soon followed when he chipped to deep midwicket.
Betteridge and Whittingham fought hard. Whittingham (12) was out to a fantastic one handed running catch by Green.
Frame (0) didn’t last long as he edged to slip.
Betteridge (19) was the final wicket to fall as he was bowled.
The innings closed on a disappointing 103 all out.
Credit to Chester who bowled and fielded superbly.
Langley slipped to 19 points behind leaders Heaton Mersey and one point behind second place Wayfarers.
Langley 2nd XI continue to improve as they entertained high flying Trinity.
Trinity posted 250-7 declared off 42 overs. Pick of the attack was Isaac Anderson who took 3-59.
In reply, Langley hit 206-6, the evergreen Rick Laughton (57), Dave Letven (42) and David Gregory (32) all batted well as Langley claimed 16 points.
They remain bottom of the table but have closed to 20 points behind Wilmslow as they fight to avoid relegation.