Alvanley ascend after beating tough Mobb
ANOTHER valuable 25 points came Alvanley Cricket Club first XI’s way on Saturday with a hardfought win at Mobberley – the success narrowed the gap to second spot to just 11 points as the victors ascended to fourth place in the division.
After calling the coin flip correctly, Alvanley captain Chris Charles elected to bowl first on a green pitch.
He and Billy Ouzounidis found bounce and movement with the new ball and were both rewarded.
Ouzounidis bowled opener Will Berisford-Ince in the second over and Charles found the edge of the dangerous Nick Butters’s bat in the third over to leave Mobberley 10-2.
Another victim for Ouzounidis came in the fourth over as he bowled Thomas Morris for one and it was not long before he had his third, trapping Will Edwards in front and the hosts were reeling at 23-4.
Lee Ainsworth was less consistent than usual mixing up some wayward stuff with some absolute pearlers.
He bowled Mark Goodstadt and Matt Mountney and then the dangerous Abdul Aqeel to keep Alvanley on top at 83-7.
Sophie Ecclestone came on next and she bowled with great control, threatening both edges of the bat. Some boundaries came at the other end but she was rewarded with two wickets for just 17 runs off eight good overs.
One of these wickets had Ainsworth to thank. His left-handed screaming catch to dismiss Matt Rose for 16 was right out of the top drawer.
Ouzounidis returned to take the last wicket as Mobberley were skittled out for 130 inside 38 overs.
This was a tricky target on a batting track that was showing signs of big turn. Alvanley began like a train. Ste Charles was quickly on to anything ● short but after a recent fallow period, Mike Rowlands showed real character and took the attack to the bowlers.
He cracked a quartet of sixes and three fours as Alvanley raced along to 56 in just eight overs.
Both opening bowlers were quickly withdrawn, well beaten by Alvanley’s opening batsmen.
Butters’s first over went for another big six to Rowlands but there were signs of hard times to come, with the ball spinning and bouncing alarmingly at times.
Charles fell trying to advance down the wicket and it was 60-1.
Rowlands and Jonno Whitley moved the score on to 71 before the latter fell to an outstanding catch by Younis Khan at slip from a Josh Northover delivery.
Rowlands and Andy Bennion took the score to 91 with Bennion now the aggressor but when Rowlands fell having just raised his bat for 50, the target seemed a long way off.
Simon Gee came and went quickly for five and Mobberley had their tails up.
Bennion elected to drop anchor and together with Arthur Brummitt, singles became the order of the day.
The pair took the chase to 117 before Brummitt was bowled through the gate by Northover.
Any nerves were quashed by Bennion and Chris Wright (eight not out), the pair finding a few boundaries to finish off the game with 25 overs and five wickets to spare. Bennion ended his innings unbeaten on 34.
Butters was undoubtedly the pick of the Mobberley bowlers taking 3-40 from his 15 overs of work. ● ALVANLEY’S second XI secured an excellent win by 32 runs over their counterparts from Middlewich.
After winning the toss and electing to bat first, Alvanley were all out for 201 in 49 overs. Sam Baxter led the way for Alvanley with 55 and there were also decent contributions from opening batsman David Jones (49) and skipper Mark Szymura who chipped in with 31.
Kyran Davies led the Middlewich attack taking 4-32 while teammate Ryan Twigg snapped up 3-26.
Despite being held up by Middlewich opening batsman Craig Johnson who made 52, Alvanley’s attack was pretty much on top.
David Summers grabbed 5-45 and David Bergstrand claimed 2-25 as Alvanley skittled Middlewich out for 169 in the 41st over of their response. ● THIS Saturday afternoon, Alvanley’s first-team host Brooklands (1pm) while the seconds visit their counterparts from Bollington (1pm).
On Sunday, Alvanley’s third XI host New Brighton’s thirds (2pm).