Frustration despite lion’s share of points
MARPLE took the lion’s share of the points in this close encounter in the west of Cheshire last Saturday.
Once more Marple were inserted, and once more Andrew Hall and Alex Pannell got the visitors away to a good start.
The opening attack of Chris Charles and Sam Mallows was steady, but at 45 for 0, Marple looked on course for a big total.
However, Hall played across a delivery from Mallows and was lbw, Mark Bennett fell to the off spin of Stephen Charles for 1.
Mallows also picked up Pannell for 26, and Mark Makin for just 3. At 59 for 4, there was need for the middle order to do some repair work.
The Marple line up has shown it has good depth this season, and here
Jacob Noakes made his most significant contribution with the bat in the Marple first eleven so far. With the consistent Max Fitzgerald again showing admirable discipline, the fifth wicket added 71 crucial runs.
Noakes struck six fours and one six in his excellent knock of 42, and Fitzgerald had four boundaries in his 25.
Ramsay (11) and Saxelby (9) kept the scoreboard ticking over, but it was left to the ninth wicket pairing of Mike Schofield with 12 not out and Jack Grundy, 19 not out, to add a further 30 valuable runs and take Marple to an around par total of 184 for 8.
The pitch was a little on the slow side, but there were no real terrors in it. Alvanley bowled well enough, Mallows 3 for 37 and Mike Rowlands had 4 for 30, picking up some late wickets.
Grundy immediately had Alvanley on the back foot after the interval, castling Rowlands for a duck, and having Jarryd Basson pouched at slip by Makin for 2, the score on 12 for 2.
The third wicket pairing of the stubborn Stephen Charles and the more fluent Alex Reid now gradually began to get the home side into a position of strength.
However, after the seam attack of Grundy and Saxelby were rested, once more the Marple spin duo of Joe Cash and Alex Pannell began to put pressure on the batting side.
Initially the wickets would not come, despite the run rate being kept well in check. The third wicket pair added 54 runs, before Reid (38) danced down the pitch to Pannell, was deceived in flight and easily stumped by Schofield.
Simon Gee continued to battle away with Charles, and they added a further 47, before Hall brought Grundy back for a second spell. He removed both players in his first over back.
Charles was caught and bowled, and Gee brilliantly caught one handed behind by the diving Schofield. At 114 for 5, Marple were back in charge.
They looked like bringing off a fourth win in five games this season when Hornby fell for a duck and then Chris Charles gave Grundy his fifth wicket and Schofield his third victim at 130 for 7.
As in the Marple innings, valuable runs came from the lower order. Lee Ainsworth played a worthy innings of 36, and James Ecclestone, not without some good fortune, backed him up with 14 not out.
They added 28, but when Ainsworth fell at 158 bowled by Fitzgerald, that was the end of any chance of victory for the home side.
A few late lusty blows form Mallows took the final tally up to 174 for 8. Grundy was the pick for Marple with 5 for 54.
This was a fairly tight encounter that left both sides a little frustrated. Marple, despite the 184 for 8 being the highest total of the day in division one, have still yet to fully fire as a batting unit, although all players down to number 10 have made vital contributions this season.
For Alvanley, they put a lot of effort into this game, yet ended up with just the seven points to show for it.
Next Saturday, May 28th, sees Marple back at Bowden Lane with a fixture against unpredictable Bollington, 12 noon start.
After five games, Marple are in second position behind Cheadle in a tight division one.
Marple seconds made it three wins on the bounce with an ultimately comfortable six-wicket win at home to Wirral side Upton.
After a steady start, the visitors were always under pressure with the bat, and only Luke Williams with 34 was able to keep the accurate Marple attack at bay for any time.
Skipper Hirst had a varied attack, suited to all conditions this season. The youthful Tom Chalmers got Marple underway, and then the form man Mudassar Panchbhaya once more ripped out the top order. He took 3 for 36.
Hirst spotted his chance to get in on the act, and he and the nagging George Clarke polished off the innings for just 95. Hirst’s figures with his slow left arm were 4 for 25 from 11 overs, and Clarke ended with 2 for 14.
Marple got away to a stuttering start against the new ball of Tom Wood and Rich Battersby. Hero of the previous week Andy Wild fell for a duck, James Crisall, yet to get going this season, went for 6, and Sam Stretton was lbw for 1.
At 18 for 3, the winning post looked somewhat distant.
However, Matt Barrow is well nigh immovable this season. He took root, as Mudassar once more showed his allround skill with a delightful knock of 44. He fell with just six required for victory, but Lewis Braddock with 4 not out, ensured no further alarms, keeping Barrow (28 not out) company.
Marple thirds had to battle hard to avoid defeat at Timperley on Sunday. Five home batters made significant contributions in a sizeable total of 208 for 6.Tom Chalmers was the pick for Marple with 3 for 36, with good support from Alex Nuttall and Rich Hatley.
Chalmers also hit a half century (57) in the reply, along with the dependable Will Darby (56) who made a second successive score in excess of fifty.
However, the run rate was always too high, and it was left to Rich Hatley with 21 not out and Rob Bradley 5 not out to see out the final few overs. A tough day at the office this for Greg Marsland’s team.