Widnes still lead pack but miss out in cups
WIDNES Cricket Club’s first XI maintained their position at the top of the Vivio Cheshire County League Divsion Two with a 41-run victory over Christleton at Beaconsfield Road on Saturday.
They were not so successful in their cup exploits, however, losing to Premier League Alderley Edge – aided by cricket legend Andrew Flintoff – in the Joseph Holt Brewery T/20 Cup on Thursday and to fellow Second Division outfit Barrow in the Cheshire Shield on Sunday.
On Saturday, Christleton won the toss and elected to field.
Danny Naughton and Matty Burns made a sound start taking the score to 39 at which point the former was bowled by Zaighum Abbass for 25.
With the score on 49 the same bowler accounted for Burns, caught at square leg by Ollie Morgan-Jones for 20.
Two balls later, Abbass bowled Sean Moore and in the next over Alex Hewitt was run out without facing a ball.
From 49-1, in a flash it had become 49-4.
Fayaz Ughradar and Ben Hewitt steadied the ship somewhat taking the score on to 65 at which point Ughradar was bowled by the spin of Joshua Joseph for 11. Hewitt then drove Joshua straight to Joe Wells at mid-off and was gone for eight.
Widnes were now in real trouble staring at a scoreboard that read 80-6.
Captain Chris Kirby then joined Marcus Fourie, and in a pivotal partnership they added 70.
After Fourie departed for a superb 51 which featured half a dozen fours and a couple of sixes, Gareth Yandell with an aggressive 23 helped his skipper move the score on to 195.
Neither tail-enders Dominic Cain nor Craig Campbell troubled the scorers, both falling to the spin of Joshua who finished with fine figures of 5-44.
Widnes posted 198 all out in 49 overs with Kirby making an unbowed and absolutely crucial 54.
Ughradar and Ben Hewitt soon accounted for the Christleton openers Harry Peel and Alistair Marks, but from 8-2 Tom Norris and Atif Bajwa changed matters completely.
Bajwa blasted 48 off 30 balls. He was particularly severe on Ughradar who went for four sixes and four fours.
A change to spin proved important and benefited Widnes’s cause and Ughradar made amends taking a fine catch at deep midwicket off the bowling of Naughton to account for Bajwa.
The Christleton innings lost its momentum and two further wickets for Naughton made it 87-4.
But then Norris and Joshua added 62 for the fifth wicket at which point Norris (51) inexplicably ran himself out.
Joshua (29) then spooned a catch to Naughton off the bowling of Campbell and Ughradar and Ben Hewitt returned to mop up the tail in quick time.
The visitors were eventually dismissed for 157 inside 39 overs.
The following day with a number of regular first-teamers missing, Widnes lost by six wickets at Barrow in the Cheshire Shield.
Batting first, Widnes made 175-8 in their 45 overs with Matty Burns top scor- ing with 55. Dominic Cain also chipped in with 23.
Andy Metcalf with an undefeated 50 and captain Alex Reid’s 35 not out helped ease Barrow to victory.
Dan Wearden was the best Widnes bowler taking 2-9 from his eight overs.
The previous Thursday evening, Widnes faced former Lancashire and England great Andrew Flintoff opening the bowling for Alderley Edge.
He took 1-10 from his four overs as Widnes were restricted to 83-9 in their 20 overs at the crease.
Flintoff then made 21 before being stumped by Chris Kirby off the bowling of Marcus Fourie. His former Lancashire teammate Mark Currie saw his side to victory with an unbeaten 41.
Widnes start the second half of their league season with a home fixture this Saturday against Brooklands.
The second XI travel to Weaverham on Saturday having had their chance of victory snatched away by rain at Christleton last weekend.
Widnes amassed a tremendous 270-2 with Mike Byrne making a brilliant 151 not out. Christleton were 51-1 when play was brought to a close.
The thirds lost their match at Rainford. They were all out for 63 and the hosts made the required runs for the loss of three wickets.
On Sunday Beaconsfield Road entertained the Lancashire Cricket Board’s T/20 round robin matches involving Lancashire, Nottinghamshire and Middlesex Ladies. In the first game, Lancashire (98-9) were beaten by Notts (1014). Middlesex (120) then beat Notts (111) before Lancashire (115-5) saw off Middlesex (96 all out).
This Sunday Widnes host a clash between Cheshire U12 and Yorkshire U12 with a 12pm start.