Alvanley out of luck in T20 and the league
ALVANLEY Cricket Club first XI are licking their wounds after losing in both the cup and league in the past week.
Last Thursday night, it was a case of so near and yet so far in the Joseph Holt T20 quarter-final encounter at Neston.
They took Premier League hotshots Neston to the brink and came within an inch of Finals Day, ultimately losing out in the last over.
A beautiful evening and flat (if a little low) pitch and a stunning outfield was the perfect backdrop for this big game.
Alvanley elected to bat first and started steadily against the new ball which consisted of spin at one end and extreme pace at the other.
Openers Mike Rowlands and Jonathon Whitley put on 37 for the first wicket before the former missed a straight one from Matt Stewart to depart for 17.
The theme repeated itself as Andy Bennion joined Whitley.
A run a ball took Alvanley to 64 when Whitley was trapped in front by Chris Hackett for a promising 33.
Bennion went with the total on 74 for 16 trying to lift the rate but as so often the case the rest of the innings was built around Simon Gee.
Cameos came and went but Gee stitched the innings together to end 33 not out as the away team closed at 132-6. Slightly under par perhaps?
Neston got away to a quicker start than Alvanley passing 50 for no wicket before ● Stephen Charles produced a jaffer to remove opener Ian Gill for 17.
After the powerplay, Chris Charles elected to squeeze the single and protect the boundary.
He did this well, supported by his bowlers and some crisp fielding.
Gradually, despite few wickets going down, the squeeze had an effect.
Jimmy Ecclestone and Rowlands bowled in tandem to bring the game back to 50:50.
Some 22 runs were needed from three overs and it took a brave shot for six and an under edge for four in the 18th over to take the game back to Neston.
Another twist in the 19th over saw Chris Charles bowl tight enough to leave Neston requiring five to win off the last six balls.
It was a shame that this came via an edge in a contest that otherwise oozed quality from both teams, Neston reaching a match-winning 133-3 with just three deliveries remaining in the game.
Alvanley will try again next year, knowing that they have a very decent T20 outfit indeed.
The week got worse for Alvanley on Saturday. Missing several key players, Alvanley travelled to Mobberley and bowled first on a baking hot day.
New ball bowling from Billy Ouzounidis and Chris Charles brought two early wickets, both to the latter but a minor recovery took Mobberley to 40-3 when Ouzounidis snicked opener Matt Rose to wicketkeeper Chris Wright for 16. At 60-4, Stephen Charles this time put Alvanley in control and the run rate was down on what would be expected for the conditions.
The innings meandered with odd wickets falling and runs drizzling steadily. Stephen Charles’s return of 3-49 was the pick of the bunch but Jimmy Ecclestone’s accuracy never let the batsmen dominate. Mobberley eventually closed their innings on 176-9.
A chase like this should be achieved 10 times out of 10 but on this occason wickets fell far too regularly.
Stephen Charles fell for a duck but Jonathon Whitley and Mike Rowlands looked reasonably comfortable until the former inexplicably hit a full toss to Josh Northover at cover off a Hank Schlaghecke delivery to depart for 12.
Rowlands then lost his patience driving at a Schlaghecke ball that was not there to drive and nicked it behind to Mark Goodstadt for 25.
A steady procession followed as the visitors fell to 51-5.
Andy Bennion and Ian McDermott carried things forward to 79 before the former fell for 17 and after this only skipper Chris Charles looked like scoring runs. His powerful 32 was only ended by the most bizarre of stumpings by Goodstadt off Matt Mountney which ended the game and sent the promotion hopefuls home with thinking to be done, Alvanley all out for 136 to lose the match by 40 runs.