Melrose back with eight-wicket haul
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THE start of the 2022 cricket season was accompanied by sunny – if a bit breezy – weather as the Macclesfield 1st team welcomed Cheadle to Victoria Road for a Cheshire County Cricket League Division 1 fixture.
With skipper James Cross absent due to rugby commitments, John Birchall took over duties at the toss, and promptly lost it. He was asked to bat by visiting skipper Josh Dooler.
It proved a sound decision as Macclesfield were quickly reduced to 11 for 3.
Opener Chris France went for 2 and Birchall and Brad Porter followed both for 0. Jack Mattsson (5) and opener Angus Thomson (18) tried to rebuild, taking the score to 29 before both were out, leaving the home side precariously placed with five wickets down.
It was left to the bowlers to try and salvage something from what was turning into an opening day disaster.
Harry Elms with a patient 16 off 69 balls and Miles Bradshaw with 15 steadied the ship, but at 78-8 an early visit to the bar was a distinct possibility.
The Macclesfield saviours came in the form of youngsters Fin Nash and Jack Massey.
They had put on 40 for the ninth wicket when Jack out for 25. Fin was last out for hard fought 29 as Macc posted a score of 124.
Pick of the bowlers for Cheadle was the experienced Dan Brown with 3 for 14 and Taiyyib Khan 3 for 35
Sustained by an excellent cricket tea, the home side set about defending a total that had at one stage looked seriously short.
The Macclesfield opening bowlers of Craig Melrose, on his return to the club after a couple of years at Leek CC, and Bradshaw soon had the home side in the ascendancy.
Only Liam Fitzpatrick managed double figures for Cheadle as Melrose ripped through the visitors batting, taking an astonishing 8 wickets for 28 runs in 10 overs.
Brad Porter snaffled the other two wickets with successive deliveries including the dangerous Fitzpatrick, as Cheadle were dismissed for 68.
So a solid start to the season by Macclesfield with a 56 run victory but work to be done on the batting.
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The 2nd XI had a less successful time, travelling to Widnes. Batting first they could only muster 95 all out with Tom Carter top scoring with 21. Only Mubeen Chaudry 18 and Charlie Ackerley with a defiant 10 not out managed double figures.
Louise Burns was pick of the bowlers with 4-40.
Widnes knocked the runs off in 18 overs for an easy 10 wicket win. Shashwat Rusia (50) and Billy Webb (44) the not out batsmen at the close.
Back at Victoria Road there was better news as the 3rd XI hosted Bredbury St Marks.
Winning the toss, skipper Chris Flint invited the visitors to bat.
A good all-round bowling performance restricted the visitors to 136-9 off 40 overs.
Three wickets apiece for Ben Farmer and Tony Moores plus two for Bruno Smith-Lomas on debut.
James Garner top scored with 50 for Bredbury, ably supported by Rakesh Shivaram with 25.
In reply the Macclesfield batters all made starts but lost their wicket when just into double figures. However Oliver Becroft with 45* and Ben Farmer 23* saw the home side to a win by 3 wickets and 4 overs to spare.
The 4th XI made the short trip to newly merged Congleton/Mossley, and were asked to bat first.
A very young side was dismissed for 121 in 37 overs.
Captain Richard Flint top scored with 35.
Jacob Tidswell supported his captain well with 21.
George Ackerley and Ollie Mitchell made initial inroads into the batters but opener Toby Miller stood firm with 64 as the hosts won by five wickets with five overs to spare. Mitchell took two wickets as did Charlie Creswell.
And finally, on Sunday, the 3rd XI were victorious against Elworth in the T20 knock out.