Bowlers back up bats as Runcorn win again
RUNCORN Cricket Club’s first XI travelled to local rivals Lymm Oughtrington Park hoping to continue where they left off the previous week.
On another warm Saturday, the hosts won the toss and put Runcorn into bat.
Runcorn skipper James Wells decided to open with Jordan Grobbelaar and Joe Ruane. This proved a great decision as both players proceeded to get at the Lymm attack.
Grobbelaar in particular enjoyed himself and contributed 78 runs in an opening partnership of 117 before being caught by George Anderson off the bowling of Andy Hossack.
Ruane was on 29 at this point and looking well on course for decent score.
Captain Wells came in at first wicket down and was unfortunate to be caught by Dan Kimber off Hossack without score.
Will Magee joined Ruane at the crease and steadied the ship slightly, supporting his teammate well. Magee went for nine to leave Runcorn on 140-3.
David McNamara entered the game at five and continued his good form with the bat, moving the score on briskly.
Ruane managed to reach a half-century before he too was dismissed for a splendid 51, Syed Khan taking a catch off a Jonathan Fletcher delivery.
At 169-4 and with overs running out McNamara continued to pile on the runs He was joined by Dan Booth who scored three before we was caught by Kerry Anderson off the bowling of Matthew Bradshaw.
Finally, Patrick Tyrrell came to the crease and chipped in with a useful 16 not out as Runcorn finished on a decent 229-5 from their 45 overs with McNamara undefeated on 53.
Lymm needed a decent start to stand any chance of getting anything out of the game.
But Runcorn’s Mr Consistent, Matty Drury, ensured that this was not to be by claiming both openers.
Kimber was caught by Ruane for 19, and Bradshaw snapped up by Liam Keenan for 14.
McNamara got in on the act claiming a couple of wickets as did teammate Matty Tyrrell as Lymm struggled to gain any ● momentum in their innings. Dan Booth also claimed the wicket of Shahzad Butt bowling him for just a single.
Grobbelaar also grabbed the wicket of Lymm skipper Travis Scholes bowling him for 25.
But it was left up to Matty Drury to finish off the Lymm innings by having Khan caught by Keenan for a duck as the home XI were all out for 127.
Runcorn claimed the maximum 25 points from the victory. The pick of the Runcorn bowlers were McNamara who returned 3-19 and Matty Drury who collected 3-33.
This result leaves Runcorn top of the Cheshire Cricket League on 227 points at the halfway stage of the season, 13 points ahead of Haslington. ● BACK at a very warm and well attended Moughland Lane, Runcorn’s seconds welcomed their counterparts from Lymm Oughtrington Park.
Lymm won the toss and elected to bat first on what looked like a decent track to pile up the runs.
Opener Dave Evans was needlessly run-out for one when partner Asim Shah called for a two that was not there.
Great fielding by Tom Drury combined with the quick hands of brother Stuart Drury, Runcorn’s wicketkeeper, ensured Evans was easily run-out.
Runcorn were then convinced they had Shah caught behind, but the batsman stood his ground and the umpires arm remained by his side.
This proved a crucial decision as Shah and Lymm’s number three batsman Graham Waumsley started to add runs.
The game seemed to be getting away from Runcorn as the heat began to take its toll on fielders and bowlers alike.
Mike Sullivan got the crucial breakthrough when he bowled Shah for an impressive 85.
After this, Lymm seemed to lose momentum and the run rate went down to around three an over. Waumsley then went, caught behind for 46 off the bowling of Andy Scowcroft.
Sullivan claimed two more wickets and Scowcroft bagged the final wicket before Lymm finished on 205-6 off their 45 overs. This was a disappointing total considering the start they had.
In reply, Runcorn’s openers Mark Cahill and Mike Bowen started well.
Unfortunately for Runcorn, however, Cahill went for a quickfire 22 when he was caught on the boundary by David Melia off a Shovan Chatterjee delivery.
Matty Keenan (19), and Alan Watt (29) both came in and supported Bowen well. Bowen was then bowled by Bob Hutton (one of six wickets he claimed in the match) for an impressive 53.
Runcorn began to fall behind the required run rate and needed to up it a little – so up stepped Phil Conway.
The spin of Hutton suited Conway perfectly and he proceeded to dispatch the ball to all sides of the ground.
Inevitably it came to an end when he was caught going for another boundary, but the damage has been done.
Skipper Andy Booth provided the experience required as he supported Runcorn’s incoming batsman.
Stuart Drury and Mike Sullivan went into the last over needing three to win. And Sullivan got them by hitting a boundary off the third ball in the over.
Sullivan was Runcorn’s man-of-thematch with an unbeaten 17 plus bowling figures of 3-47. This win leaves Runcorn in second place only six points behind Romily who are on 247 points. ● SUNDAY saw Runcorn welcome Elworth to a busy Moughland Lane ground with many people out enjoying the warm weather. Runcorn fielded a side consisting of a good mix of youth and experience.
Andy Scowcroft opened the innings with Jake Woodruff.
Woodruff was unlucky to be caught early on, and it was left to Mike Jenner and Scowcroft to take on the Elworth bowlers. Jenner went for 24 including five boundaries.
Up next was Roger Watt, who proved to be the pick of the Runcorn batsman finishing on 40. Other innings of note cane from Scowcroft (23) and youngster Tom Drury (17). Unfortunately the other Runcorn youngsters could not match those contributions but they gained valuable experience in the 45-over format.
Runcorn were all out for 129 off 40 overs.
Elworth in response batted really well and reached the required total for the loss of only one wicket, Scowcroft the wicket-taker. ● THIS weekend Runcorn’s first-team entertain Stockport Georgians while the seconds travel to Romily in an important top of the table clash.
Both games start at 1.30pm. Runcorn’s third XI are at Toft on Sunday (2pm).