Bowlers and fielders to the rescue as WidnesWid reap rewards at Sale
WIDNES Cricket Club first XI got themselves off to a victorious start in the Vivio Cheshire County League First Division at Sale on Saturday, albeit by the slender margin of 20 runs.
Having lost the toss, Widnes were asked to bat and were soon in trouble against the Sale new ball attack of Alisdair Barrowman and Aqib Nazar.
The former accounted for Fayaz Ughradar for one and Marcus Fourie for six while Nazar took Matty Burns’s wicket for three to leave the visitors in trouble on 11-3.
Barrowman then made matters more dire by clean bowling skipper Chris Kirby for five and Alex Hewitt for two.
Fortunately Widnes had the experience of Sean Moore and after a three year sabbatical Ian Spencer. They saw off the new ball attack and with a partnership of 69 took Widnes on to a more respectable 98-6 before Spencer was caught and bowled by Ben Watkin for a battling 39.
Moore went on to complete a valuable half-century before becoming a second victim for Watkin who trapped him lbw.
He had received excellent support from Mike Byrne who remained 13 not out as the visitors were all out for 128 in 46 overs. Barrowman finished with 4-12 off 11 overs and Jeremy McFarlane 3-42 off 12.
Sale made a much better start to their innings with Joe Cannon and Mat Spells taking their score on to 24 before the latter was run out for 18 after smart work by Fourie.
Brooke Guest with 22 helped Cannon take the score on to 57 before he was snared lbw by Moore.
Eight runs later, Fourie had Cannon caught by Moore for 23, after which the Sale innings began to stagnate.
Greg Gyves managed to score just two off 32 balls before being bowled by Moore who also accounted for McFarlane for four.
When Ughradar clean bowled Keith Wellings, also for four, the home side had slumped to 75-6.
However, Watkin and Barrowman added 19 for the seventh wicket before the latter was trapped lbw by Fourie for 10.
Despite the brave efforts of Watkin, who remained not out 22, the remaining last three batsmen could not muster a run between them.
Nawaz was caught by Gareth Yandell off Fourie and Will Radcliffe and Viraj Sorathia were both run out attempting to get Watkin back on strike.
Sale were all out in 46 overs for 108, Moore and Fourie finishing with three wickets apiece. ● Widnes’s second Xl had an emphatic 100 victory over Stockport. The Cheshire Over-50s opening pair of Phil Catterall and Tim Wearden put on a record 256 for the first wicket, Wearden dismissed for an unfotunate 99. Catterall remained unbowed on 144 when the declaration was made after 44 overs with the score on 270-1.
Despite a valiant 81 by Michael Millward, Stockport were all out for 170 in 53 overs with Tom Keen taking three wickets and Tom Evans and Alex Curlett two each. ● This Saturday Widnes host Davenham at Beaconsfield Road (1pm). The seconds travel to Davenham. On Sunday Lancashire Ladies second XI host their counterparts from Yorkshire Ladies.