Marple prevail as spinners dominate
AN excellent game of cricket at Urmston’s superb Moorside Road venue saw Marple clinch a fine win with just nine deliveries remaining when legspinner Max Fitzgerald had the home side’s number eleven, the wicketkeeper Perkins, lbw and cue joyous celebrations.
Marple were, maybe surprisingly, asked to take first knock on what is traditionally one of the best batting surfaces in the league.
All was going swimmingly, as Alex Pannell and his new partner this game Connor Ramsay, got the visitors away to a flying start.
The young seam attack of Tootell, Kilcourse and Darby were all wayward in direction, and Ramsay in particular tucked into some loose bowling. A number of extras also kept the early run rate high.
However, the game changed dramatically with the introduction of Urmston’s young overseas player Callum Stow.
The 20-year-old Aussie is that rarity, the left arm Chinaman and googly bowler. Ramsay inside edged the first ball he received from Stow onto his stumps after once more impressing with a fluent 32, full of fine strokes.
Mark Bennett was soon brilliantly caught at short extra cover by Kilcourse for a duck, and the balance of the game changed.
When Pannell edged behind for 36, Marple were in some discomfort after a fine start.
The wiles of Stow had really caused problems, and he had 3 for 16 from his first eight overs, spinning the ball both ways.
It was to Marple’s credit that they did not succumb, despite Jacob Noakes also not lasting too long. Mark Makin continued his good form from the previous week, carefully keeping Stow at bay, and Max Fitzgerald also did a solid job in the middle order once more.
The pitch was by no means the proverbial “shirt front,” and the ball seemed to “stick” in the pitch a little. Harry Singh, with his dart like off spin, provided good support to Stow.
Makin was bowled by Grindley for 37 when attempting to press the accelerator, but good lower runs from skipper Hall (25), down at seven this game, Ed Saxelby (20) and Jack Grundy (12), saw Marple go past the 200 mark for the second successive Saturday.
Kilcourse returned well to pick up three late wickets, and Singh had 2 for 53. Star turn was Stow though with 4 for 43 from fifteen quality overs. On another day, he might have had six or seven.
Ed Saxelby was the most impressive seamer on view in this game, and he found the edge of Singh’s (16) bat early on, Makin pouching a comfortable catch at second slip. The top order are all comfortable batting at home, and Marple knew that hard work would be needed to go through the card. Jack Grundy was a little off key this game, and Thomas, with a “block or blast” type of game, thrashed a number of boundaries through the off side.
As in the first innings, the tempo of the game changed when Marple introduced spin.
Joe Cash and orthodox slow left armer Alex Pannell, when he replaced Saxelby, put the brakes on a little.
Skipper, the left handed Lewis Jackson had tried to maintain the early momentum, but he fretted and turned a ball to Grundy at backward square leg for 16.
This brought in the threat of Sumit Panda, still one of the league’s top players.
Initially, he looked in great touch, with some effortless boundaries, but after Thomas fell to Cash for a solid 53, he went into watchful mode. Cash and Pannell bowled well, but the wickets would not come. Urmston were just favourites now.
Andrew Hall is an experienced and tactically very astute captain. He brought on Fitzgerald to replace
Cash. This call ensured that all four types of spinner appeared in the one game, certainly a very rare occurrence. Fitzgerald immediately picked up a wicket, that of Kilcourse, Noakes taking a fine catch, the score now 154 for 4.
Panda was in need of some cool heads from the lower order, but a series of rash strokes and some poor running caused a collapse. The asking rate had also gradually increased to around ten per over. Panda struck Cash for a huge six, but was safely pouched by Grundy at deep square leg next ball for a high quality 63. Unlike the previous week at Grappenhall , the tenth wicket could not see out the game, Fitzgerald taking his moment deservedly. He had 2 for 24, Cash 3 for 53, and Pannell in his best performance with the ball so far for Marple, 3 for 46.
Marple return to Bowden Lane next Saturday, 14th May, with a game against Macclesfield, 12.00 start.
Marple seconds got their first win of the season at home to Stockport Georgians.
Despite half a dozen players reaching double figures, Georgians could only muster 129 all out in 42 overs, George Clarke, in his first game of the season, 3 for 36, Mudassar Panchbhaya 2 for 27, and Andy Massey a remarkable 3 for 4 from six overs.
Although James Crisall fell for just a single, the dependable Matt Barrow with 61 not out guided Marple to a comfortable six wicket victory. He was given good support from Andy Wild, 22, Jamie Massey 16, and Lewis Braddock 15 not out.
Marple/Compstall thirds also defeated Stockport Georgians thirds at Bowden Lane on Sunday. The home side’s 161 all out was always competitive on a slowish pitch. Will Darby, back to form, anchored the innings with 53, but it was Dan Cox with an excellent 61 not out, who played the game’s most fluent knock.
His innings was needed, as the lower order was blown away in quick time, all the Georgians bowlers picking up at least a wicket.
As usual, chasing a total at Marple can be tricky, especially after rain has been around. Tom Chalmers produced a superb spell of 5 for 17 to rout the top order.
Only Carlos Wakefield with a battling 43 not out was able to stay for long, as Georgians were skittled for just 86 in the 27th over.
Sam Saxelby, 2 for 31, Sam Ittig, 2 for 19, and Alex Nuttall 1 for 10, gave Chalmers fine support.