Langley move clear at the league summit
LANGLEY 1st XI went clear at the top of Cheshire Cricket League Two with a hard fought victory away at Heaton Mersey at the weekend.
The hosts won the toss and elected to bowl and soon had Langley in trouble as Paully Morgan 4 was trapped LBW and Chris Pattison 2 was bowled as Langley struggled to 15-2.
Oli Wheelton joined South African Robin Smith, the pair rebuilt the Innings to some degree taking the score to 54 before Wheelton 9 was also bowled.
Smith continued to mix attack and aggression and the other batsmans priority was just to hang on in there with him.
Ben Tyler 2 didn’t last to long as he chipped to square leg. Neil Pennington looked comfortable as Smith reached his half century with the score on 72.
Pennington 7 lofted to mid on who took a simple catch, this left Langley on 89-5.
Andy Pawley dug in with Smith who continued to strike the ball firmly to all parts of the ground. With the score on 111 Pawley 0 became the sixth wicket to fall as he was adjudged LBW facing 22 balls.
Adam Cartwright and Smith added 17 before the former was another LBW victim scoring 1.
Smith then brought up his second century of the season, taking advantage of a misfield. He was then caught and bowled for a magnificent 101 off just 86 balls hitting 13 fours and 4 sixes. Veteran David Frame 0 fell second ball LBW.
Skipper Alex Berzins 13 struck a six over mid wicket before he was caught at slip as Langley were all out for 144 in just 33.1 overs.
After a fantastic tea, Heaton Mersey went out to bat and started in a positive manner as the batsman attacked Adam Cartwright and Alex Berzins bowling. They reached 35 in just 5 overs before Cartwright had Mundin 32 caught behind.
Credit to both bowlers who then found their line and length. Berzins in particular deserves credit as he fought back from conceding 20 off his opening 2 overs. He trapped Muhammed 6 LBW and bowled Maqsood 0 as Heaton Mersey were reduced to 39-3.
Ainscough and Stringer took the score to 54 before confusion saw the former run out for 5 as Pennington threw to bowler Berzins who didn’t panic and completed the run out.
Stringer and Haspell saw of the new ball, as Pattison and Tyler were introduced. Both bowled well and the runs dried up. Something had to give as Pattison trapped Stringer 12 LBW with the score on 73-5.
The game was in the balance as Gandy and Haspell both looked very solid. Eventually forcing a double bowling change. They brought up the 100 but Frame and Patterson both showed their experience as they gave nothing away. Frame struck in his second over as Haspell 18 was brilliantly stumped down the leg side by Smith.
Heaton Mersey were 102-6. The classy Patterson then dismissed Humpage 3 LBW.
The hosts trickled along as the bowlers assisted by cunning field places strangled the batsman. Marshall 3 drove Frame to extra cover where Pattison pouched a good catch. Two overs later Frame bowled the tenacious Gandy 18 and three balls later Hughes 0 was caught at slip by Tyler as Heaton Mersey were all out for 109
For Langley Frame 4-6 off 7.4 overs, Berzins 2-30 off 8 overs, Patterson 1-4 off 6 overs, Pattison 1-20 off 8 overs and Cartwright 1-21 off 8 overs took the wickets.
A very good battling display sees Langley 7 points clear as they entertain Kirby next weekend.
Last Thursday Langley got their 20/20 campaign off to a winning started they posted 238-1 off 20 overs Paully Morgan 95 no off 60 balls and Chris Pattison 94no off 49 balls batted well. In reply Kerridge could muster only 56 all Out Frame 3-8, Pennington 2-3 and Dave Letven 2-12 and Kenny Love 2-13 bowling well.
Langley 2nd xi posted 133 all out at home to Appleton 4th xi Mat Barber 33 and the evergreen Rick Laughton 29 doing well. In reply Appleton reached 134-8 youngster Dan Jones recording career best figures of 3-17.