Macc off mark with away win
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SATURDAY saw Macclesfield’s 1st XI pick up their maiden win of the season when they made the trip to Grappenhall in Cheshire CCL Division 1.
Captain James Cross won the toss and elected to field first after a delayed start due to wet weather. This decision looked immediately effective as league debutant Brad Porter had Adam Roylance caught without troubling the scorers.
The brilliant start for Macclesfield continued when the hosts fell to 14-3 and 30-5 with wickets shared between Porter, Miles Bradshaw and Chris Moores.
Grappenhall offered some fight back as Peter Barnes and Joshua Hayes dug in against challenging bowling from the visitors.
This partnership was broken by John Birchall when Barnes was caught for 25.
Hayes, now joined by Sam Guest found a couple of boundaries in a 34-run partnership, being the highest of the host’s innings.
Bradshaw and spinner Jack Massey took the final wickets as Grappenhall were eventually all out for 89 in the 37th over.
In reply, Macclesfield got off to a steady start in the tricky conditions faced and reached 17 before Eddie Bones was bowled.
Soon after, Grappenhall took two wickets in consecutive deliveries through the attack of Lewis Porter. In the next over, Grappenhall’s Porter then pulled off an impressive run out to dismiss Angus Thompson for 15, leaving Macclesfield 23-4.
Birchall joined Bradshaw in the middle looking to avoid a collapse like the home side before them but batted resolutely under the Grappenhall pressure.
The 1st XI lost their 5th wicket when Bradshaw chipped the ball back to the bowler, scoring 10.
Harry Elms was next to the middle and after a watchful start, supported Birchall well.
The partnership, scoring eight boundaries between them, took Macclesfield to an important 5 wicket win with Birchall 22* and Elms 35* taking the 25 points and an important step heading into the Summer months.
Back at home, the 2nd XI hosted Nantwich in the 2nd XI Premier Division.
Captain Chris France won the toss and unsurprisingly elected to field first with some effects of Friday night’s rain leaking through onto an area of the pitch.
After a delayed start, Ben Curwen and Henry Mitchell took the new ball and immediately began testing the Nantwich openers.
The breakthrough came for Mitchell when he bowled Jake Pearson for 4. The visitors looked strong as they ran well, approaching 50 in total.
Curwen dismissed Adam Simpson, the Nantwich captain, to a good catch from Stuart Parks. Next to the middle Phillip Marsh began finding the boundary well on his way to a quickfire 39.
Changes in the bowling brought Stu Parks on to bowl alongside young Sam Hughes.
This partnership was effective for Macclesfield with the pair taking one and three wickets respectively, leaving Nantwich little over 100 for the loss of six wickets.
With the fixture shortened to 40 overs per side, the visitors were running out of overs to post a strong total until James Westhead and Sam Williams batted very well together.
Another wicket for Mitchell in his second spell dismissed Westhead for 19 as well as two wickets for Liam Markie restricted Nantwich 179-9 with Williams finishing 34*.
Chris France opened alongside Ian Kenny in response of the Nantwich total. However, the latter was swiftly dismissed due to Freddy Woodfine attacking the stumps early on. Woodfine struck again soon after in bowling Alex Griffiths for just 1.
Adam Longshaw joined his captain in the middle with a real job to do for the side. The pair of left handers supported one another excellently, taking the score to almost 100.
The partnership was broken when France was eventually bowled for 41. Tom Isherwood was next to the crease and looked steady initially, supported Longshaw well. Longshaw reached his personal half century with a number of boundaries.
With a history of injuries between him and his brother, Isherwood pulled up with an issue with his hamstring after a quick single and had to retire hurt with 20*.
Ben Curwen looked to come in and add some impetus in hopes of reaching the Nantwich total but was bowled for 5.
Now five wickets down, Macclesfield had hopes rested on Longshaw and Stewart Garnett but when the half centurion was caught on the leg side boundary, Isherwood ‘hobbled’ back to the middle with the support of a runner. Isherwood adopted the stand and deliver approach as he put two balls over the fence into the hospital but was bowled by Simon Dimelow for 35. In the final overs, Macclesfield looked to be short of reaching the Nantwich total and finished 162-8 and take 9 points from the fixture.
Across the over side of the ground, the 3rd XI were victorious over league leaders Maritime 2nd XI. In the place of recently entering fatherhood captain Miles Horner, his deputy Chris Flint lost the toss and Macclesfield were asked to bowl first. In just 26 overs, Maritime were bowled out for 82, with Harry Massey and Alistair Knight taking 4 wickets a piece.
In reply, Macclesfield won by 7 wickets with runs for Robin Farmer (23), Will Morris (15), Chris Flint (16*) and Stephen Whittingham (18*).
The 4th XI fell victim to the weather as their fixture versus Bowdon Vale was rained off early on Saturday Morning.
The Sunday XI also contested a rain effected fixture to close the weekend’s play.
Hosting Lindow 4th XI, the visitors batted first and made a high scoring 214-8 from their 40 over allocation.
The wickets were shared between Tom Morgan,
Charlie Ackerley, Fin Nash and the day’s captain Pete Langley.
The Macclesfield innings was cut short when the rain set in with the score 70-2 from just 11 overs.
Tom Jennings (24*), Richard Flint (17) and Fin Nash (20*) scored the runs for the Sunday XI before the match was aban