Ecclestone’s ‘five-for’ and Rowlands’ half-ton help Alvanley to win
ALVANLEY Cricket Club’s first XI began the 2017 season with an emphatic six-wicket win at neighbours Christleton.
A glorious day and fabulous outfield and pitch greeted the teams and skipper Chris Charles decided that the best course of action would be to invite the home team to bat first. Alvanley’s opening bowlers – Charles himself and Billy Ouzounidis – began well, hitting good lengths and giving little away.
Lively ground fielding backed the bowlers up and after 16 overs the score had limped to 26 without loss.
It was a change of bowling that brought wickets.
Lee Ainsworth quickly settled and looked dangerous. He bowled Tom Wells for 11 and could have had more on another day. His frugal spell ended and Jimmy Ecclestone took his place.
Bowling a full length and getting some movement off the pitch, Ecclestone tore through the middle order. He reduced the home side to 88-7 with cracking figures of 5-31 off 10 excellent overs. Three of his victims found the bucket hands of Lee Ainsworth.
Ste Charles had chipped in with a wicket, well snaffled at slip by Andy Bennion, but there was to be a dramatic twist in this innings.
The lower order decided to take a chance and throw the bat. It worked as in the last 13 overs they more than doubled the score as Nick O’Connell, Muhmmed Zain-Ul-Abidin and Asif Shavaiz all contributed to take the score to a par 212 all out. Ouzounidis returned to grab two late wickets.
Alvanley needed a solid start – and the openers certainly delivered.
Mike Rowlands and Ste Charles looked well in control against the new ball and scored quickly enough to keep the rest of the team calm.
The pair added an imperious 105 before Charles snicked a Zaighum Abbas delivery to Alistair Marks to depart for 42, a knock including seven classy boundaries. Rowlands went on to make a solid half-century but fell soon after for 53, caught by Zaighum off Joshua Joseph.
Debutant Kiwi, Jonno Whitley was joined by Chris Wright and the pair consolidated well.
Whitley looks a fine player and his 17 showed plenty of promise for the season ahead.
There were to be no jitters. Wright and Simon Gee upped the ante and score freely to post 60 for the third wicket before Gee fell for a classy 27, trapped lbw by Matt Astbury.
A tighter bowling spell from the hosts meant that the game was going to go down to the last few overs but Wright and Bennion were in control.
They found the boundary and scampered singles to take their team home with three balls and six wickets to spare.
Wright’s unbeaten 43 was mature and full of crisplytimed shots.
Alvanley host Mobberley this Saturday, hoping to build on this promising start.