Late wickets prove elusive at Barrow

MACCLESFIELD CC 1st XI were in action away at Barrow CC at the weekend.

Macc lost the toss and were put into bat by the hosts. Things didn’t get off to the best of starts for the away side as Macc’s talisman, Khalid Sawas, was out in the second over to the bowling of Malcolm Barrow.

Jim Melrose and Angus Thompson came together and tried to get used to the pace of the pitch, which was proving tricky.

Melrose hit a few boundaries before playing on to his stumps for 13. At 16-2 Macc needed a partnership. However, it was the home side who stayed on top, as Ryan Holloway (2-45) struck twice in quick succession to dismiss Thompson and then Rob Porter, to leave Macc on 30-4.

This then became 41-5 as Birchall (11) also departed to the bowling of Barrow (3-25).

Craig Melrose and Peter Barron rebuilt for a few overs, hitting the odd boundary along the way.

However, just before drinks Barron was caught in the covers off the spin of Nick Mumford for 19. Macc were now on 75-6.

Melrose continued to push the score along and was ably supported by fellow left-hander, Chris France. The pair added 21 before Melrose was undone by a ball from Mumford (2-27), that kept extremely low, and bowled Melrose for a wellmade 28.

France contributed valuable runs for the visitors as he rotated the strike well and found the odd boundary. Along with Otis Palmes (5) he shared a ninth wicket stand of 18 to help nudge Macc up to 123 all out inside 42 overs, France finishing with a resilient 24 not out, whilst Iroshan De Silva claimed the last three wickets to finish with figures of 3-15.

In the field, Macc started well through Craig Melrose, who dismissed opening batsman David McClements in the first over, as Chris Moores took the catch in the covers.

The away side continued to hit good areas with the ball as Melrose and Birchall built up the pressure on Barrow in the opening overs.

Macc were rewarded when Alex Reid was well caught by France at mid wicket as Melrose claimed his second wicket.

Not long after, Melrose then trapped Stephen Ogilby LBW to leave the hosts on 17-3, putting the game back in the balance.

Macc kept the pressure up and made scoring difficult for the Barrow batsmen. Melrose picked up another LBW as Holloway was dismissed, leaving Barrow on 28-4. The Macc opening bowler was bowling with real control and was unlucky not to pick up more wickets at this point.

Barrow still had open- ing batsman Iroshan De Silva at the crease, however, and he was proving difficult to dismiss. He patiently pushed the score along, with incoming batsman Lee Dwyer. Just after drinks though, Melrose had Dwyer caught behind, to claim a welldeserved five-wicket haul, leaving Barrow on 48-5.

As Melrose finished his spell with excellent figures of 5-28, Macc searched for the next breakthrough.

The visitors’ bowlers toiled away, with precision and determination. But the next wicket wasn’t forthcoming as Gareth Hughes and De Silva dug in admirably.

Macc just couldn’t find the wicket they needed as Barrow moved closer to their target. De Silva brought up his half century and Hughes supported his batting partner well, as both showed good levels of concentration.

The pair brought up their fifty partnership and slowly took the game away from Macc. The score had reached 106 when Macc struck again, as Chris Moores (1-14) bowled Hughes for 26.

However, the away side just couldn’t force another flurry of wickets, as Barrow thwarted any Macc hopes of a late collapse.

De Silva (65 not out) and George Bryant (15 not out) saw the hosts over the line in the 54th over to win by four wickets, meaning Barrow took the 25 points, to Macc’s 4.