Super Ughradar helps take Stockport apart
WIDNES Cricket Club’s first XI bagged themselves maximum spoils in a superb victory over Stockport in the Vivio Cheshire County Cricket League’s Second Division on Saturday afternoon.
It was not the best of starts for Widnes after they were invited to bat by their hosts.
Danny Naughton lasted just four balls, caught by George Barber driving off the bowling of Mike Eley for only a single.
Captain Chris Kirby managed to last eight deliveries before being bowled by Shea Gribben and it was 8-2.
However, initial Stockport euphoria began to wane as Fayaz Ughradar and Sean Moore began to dominate.
They were to put on a magnificent 159 for the third wicket with both players scoring freely all round the wicket.
It was a surprise when Ughradar was caught by Rick Jones for 71 off the bowling of James Barber.
And it was an even bigger shock when Moore edged a Shea Gribben ball to Sam Richards at slip on 96 six overs later.
Nevertheless, at 197-4 the complexion of the game had changed completely.
Alex Hewitt with a fluent undefeated 42 featuring five fours and a six, and Steve Whiston with 12 not out took the score on to 243-4 at the end of 50 overs.
Widnes opened the bowling with their batting heroes Ughradar and Moore and whilst the former was to break the back of the Stockport batting, the latter lasted only four overs before being replaced by Craig Campbell.
Ughradar had George Barber caught behind by Matty Burns in the fourth over for six.
Jones and Rob Barber then took the score on to 44 at which point Campbell had Barber caught by Whiston at slip for 21.
In the next over Ughradar clean bowled Jones for 16 and Danny Barber departed for a duck.
Two runs later he had James Barber caught by Kirby and he took his fifth wicket when he trapped Gribben lbw.
From a solid 44-1, Stockport had collapsed to a perilous 52-6.
There was no keeping the Chorleybased all-rounder out of matters as he then ran out Sam Edwards with the score on 57.
Widnes introduced their spinners and Marcus Fourie had Tom Facer, who top scored with 26, caught by Kirby.
Rajiv Singh finished matters off with two wickets, the final appropriately caught by Ughradar, without doubt the man-of-the-match.
For the record, Stockport were all out for 92 with Ughradar taking a terrific 5-35 from 12 overs.
Tonight sees Widnes at Christleton in the County League T/20 Cup. On Saturday they entertain Mobberley in the league.
Widnes’s second XI defeated Bollington even more convincingly on Saturday. They made 247-4, with Phil Catterall making 83 not out, Tim Wearden 61 and Billy Webb 48.
Mobberley were all out for 79 with Tom Keen taking 4-48 and Dan Wearden 3-19. This Saturday they travel Ashtonon-Mersey. Sunday sees the third XI at home to Southport & Birkdale.