Family affair wins the day

CRICKET STACKSTEADS travelled to Euxton for their latest match with notable absentees being Jones, Croney and Angus.

Stacksteads opened the bowling with the new pairing of Matt Hussey and Joes Saunders, the latter picking up an early wicket LBW with the Euxton score on 9.

This brought the left hander Joy to the crease who looked to have been snared behind off Saunders but the umpire disagreed and Euxton received a joyful decision.

This started a good second wicket partnership with the other opener, Barber.

Hussey bowled 7 over’s in his opening spell and Saunders 6 as Stacksteads decided to ring a few changes bringing Geoff Allen and Max Hussey into the fray.

Allen soon had Joy caught and Lowe stumped by Holt, Barber was caught by Butterworth for 69, and then Marriott was caught by Max Hussey reducing Euxton to 118 for 5.

This brought Euxton skipper Brown to the crease who alongside youngster Houghton attempted to consolidate the innings and wait for the bad ball.

After a few rain interruptions Euxton began to step up their attack of the Stacksteads bowling and went to 163 before the fall of the 6th wicket when Houghton (21) was caught by Chadwick.

Max Hussey finished his impressive spell and Joe Saunders took over taking a wicket, with the Euxton score being on 171.

Soon after a further two wickets fell off the bowling of Saunders and Allen. Euxton were now 174 for 9 and Stacksteads could sniff the chance of getting Euxton all out and collecting 2 bonus points.

Geoff Allen picked up 6 wickets off 14 over’s for 53 runs and Joe Saunders had 3 wickets off his 12 over’s for 55 runs.

During the tea interval Stacksteads lost a few over due to rain and so a revised total of 181 was calculated from 38 over’s.

Allen and Ellis Hussey opened the batting and began in style punishing any wayward bowling, the score had raced to 49 when just after being struck on the head Allen was bowled by Lombard for 27 runs.

Holt soon followed This brought Mahmood to the crease to partner Hussey and they built a very healthy partnership.

Despite another short rain interruption the batters catapulted the score to 130 before Hussey was bowled.

For the addition of only 13 more runs Scaife was then bowled out for 6, Euxton had two quick wickets and could sniff a collapse. Euxton were bowling tightly with the addition of Millward, McDermott and Woodall in their attack.

Few risks were being taken as Stacksteads were well up with the run rate.

The batters were now getting increasing confident and some nice boundaries started to heap any pressure back on Euxton that brought about bowling changes from both ends. This brought success as Mahmood was out caught and bowled with the score on 172 only 9 short of the target, Mahmood hit 56 runs off 69 balls.

Mikey Jones then skipped to the crease diligently playing out the over, Butterworth then got the job done in the next 8 balls. He finished on 19 not out and Mikey on 0 not out.

Stacksteads took maximum points again and celebrated their victory.

Of special note was that three of the Stacksteads 11 were all from the same family, father Matt Hussey had two of his sons playing – Ellis and Max – everyone of them contributing to the Stacksteads win.

Stacksteads have no game next weekend and the week after they play Salesbury away on the Saturday, and the final of the cup on Sunday.

Stacksteads have hired a bus for fans. Call 07988 782 814.