First team’s boost in
1ST XI SIMON GRIFFITHS
MACCLESFIELD 1st team welcomed Lindow to Victoria Road in a must win relegation battle for both sides. Winning the toss the visitors skipper Alex Matthews had no hesitation in inviting Macc to bat, understandable in light of recent difficulties for home side in posting a competitive score.
Openers Jack Massey and Rob Porter approached their task with caution and determination, and it was not until the 13th over that Lindow got a break through; Massey the dismissed batter bowled by Max Law for 10 with 32 on the board.
Angus Thomson joined Porter and continue with the steady approach, adding 22 to the total before Porter was caught off the bowling of Mark Farrell for 36. At 54-2 in the 24th over Macclesfield needed to increase the run rate, not an easy task against tight Lindow bowling.
However Farrell took 2 wickets in 2 balls to leave Macc 69-5 with 28 overs gone. Craig Melrose, promoted to 5 batted patiently with Sam Buckingham, taking the score to 96 before the latter became Farrells 5th victim. Melrose was the 7th wicket to fall as he started to force the run rate, a patient 18, but with the score on 113 with only 3 wickets and 7overs left, a less than competitive score beckoned for Macclesfield.
There then ensued a
critical phase of the match as Chris France (26 not out) and Brad Porter (25 off 26 balls) put on 47 for the 8th wicket in 7 overs. Final score was 161-8 off the allotted 50 overs, perhaps 20 or so runs short of a competitive total. Farrell’s final figures were 5 wickets for 37 ably supported by the other Lindow bowlers with skipper Matthews only conceding 27 runs for 1 wicket off his 13 overs.
In response Lindow opened with Rob Herriot and Gus Watson, needing just over 3 runs an over but got off to a flier with 15 off the first two. Slowly
opening bowlers Melrose and Miles Bradshaw exerted some control and Bradshaw was rewarded in the 10th over when Herriott was caught for 15 with the score on 38.
Lindow continued to bat steadily, moving slowly to their target until Bradshaw struck again in the 20th over when Watson was dismissed for 33 . At 59-2 the visitors were favourites as the required run rate was only just over 3 an over.
Macc skipper John Birchall had a decision to make, whether to keep his opening bowlers on who were restricting the Lindow
scoring, or change. He decided to give the ball to Brad Porter who immediately rewarded his skipper’s faith when his first ball clipped the off bail of Johan Wessells. With 24 overs gone Lindow were 71-3.
Max Law and Charlie Hodge were now in harness and slowly taking the visitors toward their target putting on 42 for the 4th wicket before Porter struck again, dismissing Law for37 off a very patient 78 balls. At 113-4 with only 49 needed off 16 overs the visitors were in control.
Two overs later Porter struck again, trapping Finn Gavaghan lbw for a duck. At 115-5 the tension for both sides was beginning to rise. Birchall brought Bradshaw back into the attack and after a maiden over had Hodge caught behind for 16. Score was now 124-6. 38 wanted, 13 overs left, 4 wickets in hand.
Birchall’s decision to bring Bradshaw back into the attack was further vindicated when the dangerous Matthews was caught by the skipper leaving Lindow 129-7. The 8th wicket proved stubborn for Macc as 15 runs were put on by Fraser Phillips and Matt Barnes.
Birchall brought himself on but his second over went for 8 runs and Bradshaw then went for 6 as Lindow reached 144 but Birchall led from the front as he had Barnes caught and bowled for 12. Two wickets needed for Macclesfield or 18 runs from 8 overs for Lindow. The tension around the ground from both sets of supporters was palpable.
Birchall summoned up his aching bones and in the 44th over enticed Farrell to edge the ball to wicket keeper Jim Melrose, leaving the score on 155-9. 7 runs needed or 1 wicket.
Will Espley joined the set Fraser Phillips to face Birchall and Rob Porter. The 45th over, bowled by Porter, went for 1 run and 2 leg byes; 4 runs or 1 wicket needed from 5 overs. Phillips took a single, first ball, off Birchall’s next over to take Lindow to 3 runs off the total. Espley saw out the rest of the over without scoring.
Porter took responsibility for the next over, the 47th, and bowled 4 dot balls before Phillips tried to get the required runs in one stroke, but only succeeded in finding Jack Mattson at short extra cover. Caught for 17 runs.
Elation for Macc, despair for Lindow but a fine game of cricket. Bradshaw finished with 4-46, Brad Porter 3-28 and Birchall 2 for 15.
With two games to go Macclesfield are 27 points ahead of Lindow who are in the second relegation spot. It is now a four way battle between Macc, Lindow, Marple and Bramhall to avoid the last place as unfortunately Bollington’s result on Saturday saw them relegated. Next week Macc travel to Bramhall who at the weekend had a good win at Marple.
2ND XI JON CURWEN
MACCLESFIELD 2nds travelled to Brooklands knowing that they needed a few more league points to totally guarantee their safety in Division 1 but also knowing that they were the underdogs as they were up against a team in form and high in the league, pushing for promotion.
Macclesfield invited Brooklands to bat first and opening bowlers Will Jennings and Ben Curwen made life difficult for their openers. Jennings made a breakthrough with the score on 20 as he had the dangerous Bloomfield, closing in on 1,000 runs for the season, caught by Tom Carter who took an exceptional catch low at cover.
Brooklands then rebuilt through Higgins and Kumar who took the score to 77-1 in the 20th over. Despite the lack of wickets during this stand, Macclesfield had kept the scoring rate relatively low given that the Brooklands outfield was very fast and the pressure told as Higgins was bowled by Otis Palmes for 42 trying to accelerate. This wicket triggered a mini-collapse as Palmes then removed Maitra and Rajshetty for ducks (lbw and bowled) along with Kumar, brilliantly caught for 42 by skipper Tom Isherwood in the slips.
Brooklands had fallen from 77-1 to 81-5 putting a lot of pressure on their lower order. Bowden and Muniyasami dug in and began to play shots to get the scoreboard moving before Palmes got his 5th wicket, Muniyasami edging to keeper Joe Moores with the score on 114.
Palmes finished with excellent figures of 15-348-5.
Brooklands’ lower order were all capable batsmen and added useful runs. Storrow made 23 before being run out by an alert Joe Moores, flicking the ball back onto the stumps as the batsman had overbalanced playing a defensive shot and not got back into the crease. Rob Leach made 10 before picking out Ben Curwen on the boundary off Jennings and Bowden remained 32 not out, holding the innings together. Brooklands finished on 189-8 after their 50 overs, a score that was possibly beyond their expectations when they were 81-5 but also a total that could be considered below par given the excellent batting conditions.
Macclesfield began their reply and were tested by an excellent opening spell by Rob Leach, a bowler with lots of first team experience. While Leach often beat the bat, opening pair Kenny and Palmes worked hard and resisted until the 13th over before Kenny edged behind off Leach for 8, the score on 25-1. Palmes played more aggressively and hit seven 4s in his 33 before becoming Leach’s second victim, again edging behind.
Tom Carter was caught one handed at square leg off spinner Maitra in his second over leaving Macc in a bit of trouble at 57-3.
There then followed an excellent, match-winning partnership of 105 between Adam Longshaw and Tom Isherwood. At
first Longshaw was the main aggressor, playing some big shots off the Brookland’s spinners, down the ground and into the leg side to take the pressure off Macc and putting it back onto the fielding side.
After several big overs from Longshaw, Isherwood also began to find the boundary on a regular basis and Brooklands bowlers had no respite at all and no answers. As the pressure told, chances in the field were missed and Isherwood and Longshaw took complete control of the game. After the century stand (at a rate around 8 runs per over) Isherwood was caught at cover for a fine 38 containing five 4s and a big 6. Andy Moores (11 not out) joined Longshaw who continued to hit boundaries frequently and Macc completed the win with 8 overs to spare. Longshaw finished on 89 not out, a superb match-winning knock with thirteen 4s and three 6s.
The result means that Macc seconds have confirmed their place in Division 1 for next season and they achieved it in some style, not just beating but completely outplaying a team still well placed to be promoted this year.
3RD XI ROB BURNS
MACCLESFIELD were welcomed to the picturesque Christleton ground and on winning the toss Captain Chris Flint elected to field. Ollie Pottinger and Ben Farmer opened the bowling both taking early wickets economically although the talented Christleton opener Abraham had started constructing a decent innings.
Becroft toiled away for Macclesfield taking the important wicket of Abraham who was caught well by Robin Farmer for 79. With Russell Crowley also going well for Christleton a pivotal moment took place, Crowley was run out after pulling up short with a probable injury, after Horner & Flint discussed the situation Macclesfield rescinded their appeal allowing Crowley to continue with a runner.
Well done Macclesfield this was a lovely gesture which upheld the values of cricket and was a valuable lesson for the juniors within the team.
Macclesfield continued to bowl with enthusiasm, R Farmer having Heyland brilliantly caught by Becroft on the boundary another highlight. Christleton finished on 277 for 7 from their 40 overs with Crowley 75 no.
In reply, R Farmer and Flint started well with Farmer continuing his current good form with the bat before being caught on the boundary after an aggressive innings of 40+. Grindrod also made a defiant and important contribution but with wickets falling young Charlie Ackerley & the slightly older Tony Moores were left to try and salvage points for Macclesfield.
Both batted brilliantly with balls flying to the boundary however it was too little too late, Macclesfield finished on 194 for 9
from their 40 overs, a valiant effort against a very good side, who are in 2nd place
Stockport Trinity away next Saturday, time to bounce back and secure our place in this league next season!
4TH XI RICHARD FLINT
THE Macclesfield 4th XI were victorious as they welcomed Aston to Victoria Road on Saturday. After winning the toss and
bowling, hard work in the field paid off for Macclesfield as the visitors were bowled out for 141 in the final over. Sibi Joseph starred with the ball taking five wickets. Ollie Mitchell and Charlie Cresswell chipped in with two apiece.
In response, it was the visitors who got off to a great start as Macclesfield slumped to 19-3. Favours changed for the 4th XI when Aju Peter Clement joined opener Ray Sharma
in the middle. The pair shared a very quick 125 with Sharma finishing 51* from 47 balls. What happened at the other end however was nothing short of spectacular. Clement scored to all parts of the ground (and the surrounding areas!) on his way to 81* from just 36 balls.
Macclesfield go into their final two weekends, home and away to Prestbury with a win and great performance.