No silver lining as Cheadle go through
CHESHIRE CUP SEMI-FINAL
WIDNES ........................................ 108 CHEADLE .................................. 109/5
CHEADLE WON BY 5 WICKETS
WIDNES looked to salvage some silverware from this shortened season but were soundly beaten by Cheadle who outplayed Widnes in all departments.
The match was reduced to 32 overs per team due to typical Manchester weather and the toss was perhaps more vital than usual as it was difficult to calculate what a winning score might be.
Unfortunately captain Tom Evans called incorrectly and Widnes were invited to make first use of a damp wicket with a very sodden outfield.
Kirby returned to open the innings and Billy Webb set aside his football boots to play his first match in the senior team this season.
Alex Hewitt partnered Kirby following his good form with the bat the previous day at Neston, but both openers laboured to come to terms with a slow wicket which also varied in bounce. Both Hewitt and Kirby departed early and with just 16 on the board Widnes hopes fell to the in-form Matt Burns and Luke McCoy. Unfortunately McCoy got a delivery which bounced more than he anticipated and was caught becoming opening bowler Pat Meese’s third victim.
Burns was holding the inning together as Josh Dooler removed Sean Moore and star man Majeed and when Webb was bowled by Brown Widnes were 40 for 6.
Youngster Aaron Soni joined Burns and pushed the score on to 85 before being caught and when Burns was last man out for a top score of 43, Widnes recorded 108 of their 32 overs. Given the state of the outfield and slow wicket the local opinion was that the Widnes score was 30 to 40 runs short of a competitive total.
Captain Evans knew his team’s best chance was to take some early wickets but Cheadle’s Dan Adams and Drew Carswell had other ideas. Adams in particular decided to attack and hit two 6s and two 4s in a quickfire 22. Majid removed him and Carswell for 23 and when Soni had captain Brown plum LBW Cheadle were wobbling on 29 for 3.
The Dooler brothers came together and calmly took the score to 90 before Adam Dooler was bowled by Parkinson and it was left to keeper Prince to get Cheadle over the line with two overs and five wickets to spare.
After the match captain Tom Evans was naturally disappointed but acknowledged Cheadle had outplayed Widnes in all areas. He was pleased with the bowling of Parkinson
and Soni who both conceded only two runs per over and reflected on the absence of James McCoy who has been the mainstay of the Widnes batting line up over recent week.
Widnes take on the mighty Chester Boughton Hall away on Saturday and Evans must rouse his troops for the challenge. Hopefully McCoy will be available and Burns continues with his form with the bat in what is the last match of the season.