Holders knocked out of Cheshire Cup T20
BRAMHALL’S hopes of emulating or surpassing their 2016 Cheshire Cup T20 win and National T20 Finalists were dashed on Thursday at Didsbury.
After three comprehensive wins in the group stages, the hosts provided a much sterner test after Didsbury were asked to bat first in the T20 quarter final.
Opener Tim Hughes set about the Bramhall bowling from the start. The Beavers’ bowling attack struggled to find a way to nullify the onslaught, which showed no real sign of slowing despite the loss of Hughes’ opening partner.
Hughes had more than 70 per cent of the first hundred runs scored, and soon after reached his own century.
Bramhall did dismiss him shortly afterwards, but Didsbury’s total was still climbing above 150 with overs in hand. To their credit, the Beavers stuck to their task, and took late wickets to keep the hosts below 200 – finishing on an imposing 193-6 from their 20 overs.
The Beavers quickly found themselves at 20-2, but found a way to keep within range of the 10 runs per over asking rate.
Without a single significant innings between them, the Bramhall batsmen all managed to find the boundary with sufficient regularity to keep Didsbury uncomfortable, and going into the final few overs, the home side were only just ahead.
However, Bramhall saw their key men fall at just the wrong moment, and 25 off the last over proved too much – the reigning champions going down by 15 runs to finish on 178-8.
In a match generously sponsored by Robert Hayden & Co Chartered Accountants, Bramhall met Didsbury for the second time in three days, this time in the Cheshire County Premier Division at Church Lane.
Didsbury chose to bat first on a pitch offering some assistance to the bowlers, but the Beavers’ bowling attack found themselves not making full use of it.
The returning Danny Lamb bowled with control and picked up the first wicket to fall, but he was lacking a little support from his bowling and fielding team mates at times, particularly when the dangerous Tim Hughes was put down at backwards point.
The introduction of spin saw no obvious benefit to Bramhall, and it was left to Luke Littlewood’s medium pace to nibble out the visiting batsmen.
His solid line and length, allied to a hint of movement, saw him pick up five wickets in the latter half of the innings, but not before Hughes had reached a second (if more fortuitous) ton against the Beavers in 48 hours.
At 186-6, the Beavers looked to be on top, but the visitors were somewhat let off the hook to reach 263-8 from their 55 overs.
After the break, Lamb was the unlucky recipient of a gremlin in the surface to be caught behind early on, but fellow opener Adam Wilde looked in good form to notch up a fifty with support from Afzal (35).
Wilde fell for 61, and this soon led to a slump to 146-5 with Didsbury looking on top and the Beavers’ batsmen struggling to find the gaps.
However, after sticking it out for some time, skipper Nick Cantello and Matt Higginbottom slowly started to find their timing as their partnership began to look dangerous.
The visitors wondered if they’d been the victims of the rope-a-dope, as the ball was flying to all parts and accusing glares were directed around the field.
But, just as Bramhall began to believe, with 28 runs needed from the last four overs, Higginbottom (53) and Cantello (59) fell in consecutive deliveries after a stand of 99.
When this became 248-8 with just six balls remaining, the plug was pulled on the chase by the home side and they finished on 251-8 to collect eight points to Didsbury’s 14.
Bramhall showed glimpses of their old selves in this game, but will remain disappointed that after two consecutive weeks scoring 250+ they have not picked up a win.
A key game at home to bottom-placed Bowdon next Saturday rounds off the first half of the season.
On Sunday, Bramhall hosted Macclesfield in the 45 over format Cheshire Cup.
Unfortunately, late morning rain saw a delayed start and overs reduced to 41 overs per side as Bramhall chose to bat first.
With two sides looking very different from their Saturday league line ups, it was hard to gauge who was favourite, but the visitors struck first to leave the Beavers at 10-1.
This brought teenage debutant Archie Tittle to the crease, and he slowly found his timing to provide good support to opener Afzal (51) as the pair put on 81 before Tittle was LBW for an assured 39.
After Afzal’s dismissal 17 runs later, dangerman Iftikhar Naseer joined a circumspect Cantello at the crease, and quickly overtook his captain to pummel a rapid 60 off a relatively young Macc attack, before being caught with the score at 194-4.
Cantello was joined by Matt Higginbottom, whose maximum over long off first ball was another signal of intent to the visitors.
The pair added 84 in quick time before skipper Cantello was impressively caught for 56.
Higginbottom brought up his own swift fifty to end unbeaten on 54 as the beavers posted a daunting 290-5 from their 41 overs.
After tea, Bramhall’s taller seam attack took an instance liking to the bouncy surface and effectively ended the contest in the first 10 overs.
Higginbottom took the first to fall, and bowled with control and rhythm to concede just 12 runs from his spell, while Rupes Kitzinger persuaded four visiting batsmen to hit catches as he grabbed 4-20 to reduce Macclesfield to 32-5.
The home side’s future senior players were then introduced into the attack. Seamer Lewis Welch was unlucky to go wicketless in a tidy six overs, but Tittle’s leg breaks took a particular liking to the pitch.
He followed up his 39 runs with the bat by taking the final five wickets to fall with good control and impressive overspin in his 5-21.
Higginbottom ended with five outfield catches, as Macclesfield were all out for 95 from 24 overs.
Bramhall won by 195 runs, and will meet Timperley in July 23rd’s next round.