Home side falling short
MACCLESFIELD CC 1st XI were back in action at home to Hyde CC 1st XI at the weekend. Macc won the toss and chose to field first on a much more overcast day.
Hyde started well through Ben Allcock and Tom Partridge. However, Craig Melrose then bowled Partridge for 11, leaving the away side 27-1.
David Fitzsimmons came in and increased the run rate taking the score passed 50 for the visitors.
Otis Palmes was then introduced into the attack for Macc and carried on from where he left off last week, taking a wicket in his very first over of the day, as Allcock (28) topedged a pull shot to Chris Moores who ran round from mid-on to take a good catch. Hyde were now 53-2.
James Duffy came to the crease, adding 27 with Fitzsimmons before Palmes struck again, bowling the latter for 28.
Danny Berry was next in and supported Duffy for a few overs, as the latter continued to score at a healthy rate, moving passed his 50.
Melrose (2-56) then picked up another wicket for Macc, leaving Hyde on 117-4 around the midpoint of the innings, as he had Berry (8) caught behind. Elliot Young came in and hit a quickfire 23 off 21 balls for Hyde, before being dismissed by Rob Porter.
The visitors were now on 147-5 and built yet another key partnership in fairly quick time as incoming batsman, Daniel Cranmer, added further impetus to Hyde’s innings. Cranmer and Duffy put on 48 runs before Palmes broke the partnership with a clever slower ball, bowling Duffy for a well-made 68. Hyde were now 195-6 as they moved into the latter stages of their innings.
Palmes continued to look threatening for Macc and added to his tally of 3 wickets as he trapped Glyn Peacock (6) LBW.
Porter (2-49) then had Joseph Dawber (3) caught in the covers by Tom Isherwood, before Palmes took another wicket, bowling Charlie Hewitt (0), to claim his maiden five-for for Macc, finishing with excellent figures of 5-58.
Hyde were now 215-9, but Cranmer was still there. He brought up a well deserved 50 in the last few overs and then struck a couple of late boundaries to finish on 55 not out from 59 balls, as Hyde closed on 237-9 from their 50 overs.
In reply, Macc started fairly brightly as Jim Melrose hit a couple of early boundaries, but when Berry had Melrose (10) caught behind, the hosts never really recovered.
Left-arm spinner, Cranmer, bowled Angus Thomson (1), while Berry found the edge of Porter’s (3) bat soon after. Macc were now 17-3 and really up against it as the league leaders sensed further wickets.
Cranmer then claimed another wicket as his arm ball was smartly gathered down the legside by the wicketkeeper, who quickly stumped Miles Bradshaw for 6.
A couple of overs later the spinner had his third wicket as Barron (14) was out LBW, attempting a sweepshot. Moments later Isherwood herwood (1) was bowled by Berry and at 35-6, Macc were in real trouble.
Chris France (6), Chris Thompson (2) and Otis Palmes (0) all then fell to the bowling of Berry/ Cranmer in the next few overs as Macc just couldn’t recover.
The home side were now 45-9 and moments away from a chastening defeat.
Craig Melrose then threw caution to the wind as he hit the ball to all parts in a fine display of range-hitting as he amassed 5 fours and 5 sixes in a magnificent 50, trying to restore some pride to Macc’s run chase.
Chris Moores (5 not out) supported the allrounder as the pair comfortably claimed Macc’s biggest partnership of the day. Melrose continued to entertain the home crowd with some glorious shots to the fence, before the inevitable eventually arrived. Elliott Young (1-0) came on for Hyde and claimed the wicket of Melrose, as he was caught by Peacock for a quite brilliant 60 off 33 balls.
Macc were all out for 112 in the 31st over as the 67-run partnership brought the game to a close.
Cranmer finished with excellent figures of 5-35 and Berry claimed formidable figures of 4-58. Hyde take 25 points from the game, to Macc’s 5, in a disappointing day for the home side.