Oakamoor put on stylish batting display to get off to a great start
OAKAMOOR piled on the runs in their emphatic victory at Alsager on the opening day.
Top-order batsman Tom Sherratt set the standard with 78, hitting eight fours and two sixes, as Oakamoor powered their way to 273-6 from their 40 overs.
Sherratt’s lead was followed by Adam Keates (44), while Johnathan Clowes blazed four sixes in his rapid 40 not out as Alsager’s bowlers were made to toil.
Waqas Ahmed and Stephen Groom both took two wickets.
Fraser Smith’s 68 was the highlight of Alsager’s reply, but double strikes from Matt Wolff, Vibhor Yadav, Kris Heathcote and Sean Sutton left them all out for 167.
Caverswall’s new overseas signing Iraq Thomas lived up to his reputation of playing entertaining innings in his side’s win at Silverdale.
The West Indian took just 66 balls to make 84 - smashing 12 fours and three sixes along the way as Caverswall amassed 221-8 at Underwood Road.
Captain Elliot Wright added 43, while Ethan Sheriff secured figures of 3-37.
Sheriff then replied with 84 of his own as Silverdale made a good fist of chasing down the target.
New recruit Alex Mcchristie weighed in with 50, but Silverdale just fell short on 203-9 when time was called.
Greg Phillips helped himself to 4-29 for Caverswall, with twin strikes from Thomas Caton and Josh Need keeping the pressure on the home side.
Stafford’s Guy Seaton compiled a perfectly-paced century as they saw off the challenge of Bignall End.
Stafford were set a testing 223 for victory, but ultimately secured a seven-wicket win with 16 balls remaining.
Seaton anchored proceedings with an unbeaten 107, featuring 16 fours.
Dave Foster chipped in with 34 on his return to the club, but it was an unbroken fourth-wicket partnership of 109 between Seaton and Robert James which eased Stafford home.
James finished unbeaten on 42 not out.
He had earlier scooped 3-59 to help to dismiss Bignall End for 222.
Steven Brierley top-scored with 46, while Ben Dixon (42) and Adrian Lello Junior (38) added useful runs for the visitors.
But their total wasn’t enough as Seaton batted throughout the Stafford reply to earn them the ideal start to the campaign.
Barlaston made light work of Meir Heath in their meeting.
Hosts Meir Heath were skittled for just 88 as Mason Bromley (6-11) produced a devastating spell.
Jake Heath (31) was the only Meir Heath batsman to show any resistance to Bromley and his teammates.
Barlaston required just 9.3 overs to knock off their meagre target as George Hawbrook’s big-hitting was showcased again.
He hit nine fours and one six in his 33-ball 55 to set the visitors on course for a seven-wicket triumph. Oliver Edwards claimed a couple of victims.
The battle of last year’s top two went the way of Norton in Hales as they ran out comfortable winners at Porthill Park seconds.
Norton in Hales had finished runners-up to their weekend hosts in the shortened 2020 season, but laid down an early marker at the Old County Ground on Saturday.
The visitors, under new captaincy in the shape of Alex Thorley, saw one of their new boys, Adeel Khalid, top score with 41 as they posted 166 all out.
Kashif Ali Moon (29) and Joe Wagg (22) also made decent headway, while Liam Hassett (3-25) and Tom
Mason (3-30) led the home side’s bowling effort.
In reply, Dylan Reynolds (24) and Simon Wood (21) made starts, but there wasn’t a significant contribution to Porthill Park’s innings.
Michael Dyer (3-16), James Pringle (3-21) and Jack Furnival (3-25) all took three wickets as the hosts were bundled out for 117.
Sandbach eased to victory on their visit to Rode Park & Lawton.
Jack Kesteven’s 71, featuring 10 fours and three sixes, was the highlight of Sandbach’s 208-6.
Ross Kesteven and Gareth Lennon lent support with 33 and 31 respectively.
Richard Bebbington (43) and David Wellings (34) impressed after the interval, but Ryan Jones’ 3-16 limited Rode Park & Lawton to 147-8 at the end of their 40 overs.