Bolly beat Macc
TOM HORSFIELD AND PETER BARRON
THERE was a highly anticipated fixture at the Recreation Ground at the weekend as two local rivals met in a league fixture in more than five years.
Before a ball was bowled, just six points separated Macclesfield and Bollington as both sides looked to take a key advantage as the league starts to take shape.
The two umpires called for the captains, Rick Hough and Rob Porter, to meet in the middle to decide on the proceeding for both sides.
It was Bollington who won the toss and elected to field first.
This brought John Birchall and Alex Griffiths to the crease. It was Birchall facing the first over from Ward as he beat the bat with the first two balls of the innings, one ball later Birchall lobbed one up just past the fielder to escape falling for a duck.
Macclesfield then dominated the next five overs, with Birchall tormenting the opening bowlers hitting Ward for back to back boundaries. With the scores at 28 for no loss, Ward removed the danger man Birchall, with the ball nipping back and adjudged to be hitting the stumps, removed LBW for 23.
Thomas Tudor was his replacement and alongside Griffiths, they both steadied proceedings. The scores passed 50 in the 15th over with neither side looking in full control at this early stage.
By the 17th over Bollington looked in control with Ward bowling a terrific spell, which soon saw him take a further two wickets as Macclesfield looked in increase the rate. Griffiths fell for a hard fought 15 and in the successive over Tudor (10) fell in a similar fashion as they were both bowled by Ward.
With just two overs until the drinks break, Ward took his final wicket of the afternoon, removing captain Porter LBW for 1, a big wicket to give Bollington the advantage at the break with the scores poised at 62-4.
After the break Macclesfield pressed on, Peter Barron and Oliver Marsden batting well in the middle overs as Bollington couldn’t take full advantage of their great start.
Both batsmen took the scores passed 100 as Ward finished his spell with 4-39 from his 15 overs, backed up brilliantly by West Indian Dario Seale who went unrewarded, going for just 44 off his 15 overs.
Marsden and Barron were looking comfortable at the crease, adding another 37 to the scores before a change in the bowling saw Harri Dickinson removing Marsden for 39 caught brilliantly by Seale at deep mid-wicket.
Plant then was involved in the action, bowling Melrose for 2 to leave the game evenly poised with the danger man Barron motoring along on 37.
With Macclesfield on 150, a moment of pure brilliance changed the game as Henshall, bowled Plant, plucked an almost certain six out of the air on the boundary to remove Barron for 44 and leave Bollington in control as the innings neared to a close.
Thomson was removed by Dickinson (2-18) for 2, caught by Cross behind the stumps for the eighth wicket. Dickinson was again involved in the action, this time running out Moores for 4. Macclesfield added another 22 to the scores before Plant took Bollington’s final wicket, Palmes caught at long on by Horsfield for 10 to see the visitors finish on 177.
In reply, skipper Hough carried on with his fine form following last week’s 92 not out, as he raced to 25 inside the first four overs. Hough was accompanied by Barrass, who was also looking good before he was caught at short cover by Melrose for 9, as Bollington looked in control with the scores at 47-1.