Runcorn beat promotion rivals Ashley
ANOTHER wet and miserable August Saturday looked to put any prospect of play this weekend in doubt for Runcorn CC.
However, fantastic work by the Runcorn ground staff meant a 39-over-a-side affair was possible between Runcorn’s First XI and fellow promotion chasers Ashley.
When the visitors won the toss and chose to bowl, the wet conditions looked as though they would favour the bowling side.
However, that wasn’t to be the case as openers Kieran Maher and Rob Magee took the attack to the Ashley bowlers.
The pair were out on 90 runs for the first wicket, before Magee was eventually dismissed for a hard-fought 32.
Shortly after Maher (72) also fell, skying a flighted delivery from spinner Jamie Barlow, but not before he had passed another half century and in doing so passed a milestone of 500 runs for the season.
Skipper Will Magee (33) and Ryan Beech (48) picked up exactly where their team mates had left off, putting together a partnership of 76 to take the score to 193-2, providing a platform for the big hitters to come in and accelerate towards the back part of the innings and DJ
McNamara (30*) and David Nedugodan (15*) duly obliged, with four sixes and two fours between them, the pair took the Runcorn total to 249-6, leaving Ashley a daunting 250 runs for victory.
The visitors were going to have to score runs at a decent rate to be in with any chance of chasing down the runs required, and that was made all the more difficult with superb opening spells from bowlers Dan Booth (3-28) and McNamara (1-24) putting Ashley immediately on the back foot.
And when the score hit 21-4, all the points looked to be Runcorn’s. The final nail in the coffin, and perhaps the highlight of Runcorn’s bowling attack was the introduction of seamer Ryan Beech who took four wickets for just 15 runs and sealed the game for the hosts, with Ashley crashing to just 88 all out.
Captain Will Magee said: “We can be pleased with how we have gone about our work today, although performances like this make defeats like last week all the more frustrating, as we know how good we can be on our day.”
Magee was also playing down Runcorn’s chances of promotion, despite that result taking them to joint 3rd in the table.
He added: “We have three games remaining and you just never know how things can happen in cricket. We will give it our all and see where that can take us.”
Runcorn take on Barnton on Saturday, looking to enact revenge for defeat earlier in the season.
RUNCORN 3RD XI V SALE
WITH heavy rain overnight this game would be delayed and reduced to 30 overs.
Sale captain Chris Smith lost the toss and Runcorn chose to try and take advantage of the wet track and hope it would dry out for them to bat later in the day.
The game plan started well with
Cookson (1-23) claiming the first wicket with the second ball of the game after a safe catch behind the stumps by Royle.
Some excellent economic bowling from Grey (0-12) and A Ratcliffe (0-8) saw the visitors struggling to score runs.
With the pressure growing on Sale to score runs up stepped H. Bushell with a bowling master class (4-9).
His first wicket found the edge of R. Smith’s bat, caught well by Royle, his second bowled Khan through the gate dismantling the stumps, and the third nipped back up the hill hitting off stump to send Parekh walking back to the pavilion without troubling the score.
His final wicket tempted Moran to fish outside off stump, edging to Royle – who took the catch one handed, diving to his right hand side to make it three catches and a good day with the gloves.
Sale weathered the storm and finished their innings with a respectable 105/8.
Runcorn – who have struggled with the bat in recent weeks – did not show signs of nerves with G. Bushell leading the way with a solid technical performance, scoring 57.
He was supported by Cookson (18), setting the game up for a close finish and with four runs needed to win Tobin came to the crease and with an exquisite square cut saw Runcorn get back to winning ways.
Captain Chris Royle said after the game: “It was great work by the juniors and they all worked hard and deserve the win. I would like to thank Michelle Bushell for scoring again today and Merseyflow for their continued support.”