Second title looms as Nantwich outplay Chester   You are here: Home » Blogs Detail

Jimmy Warrington with 6-31

IF Nantwich take maximum points from their penultimate fixture at Alderley Edge next Saturday and Chester Boughton Hall fail to do the same at home to Toft, Andy Newton’s team will clinch the ECB Premier League title for the second season running.

This follows the Dabbers’ crucial and surprisingly comfortable six wickets win against their closest rivals at Whitehouse Lane on Saturday when fast bowler Jimmy Warrington reduced Chester’s strong batting line-up to 43-7 after 18 overs. Ed Roberts put together a solid 34 to help his side totter to 111, Warrington taking his tally for the campaign to 61 wickets with figures of 13.1-4-31-6. The Dabbers replied with 115-4, the highlight being wicket-keeper Jonny Kettle’s innings of 39 which took him past 1,000 runs for the season. Local historians claim he is first non-professional club batsman ever to achieve the feat. Alex Kegg, never to be taken easily, was full value for his 3-36 for the Cestrians.

Hyde pulled up their socks after a dodgy patch and closed to within 11 points of Chester with a six wickets win at Toft, whom they dismissed for 168, Ed Stubbs 69, Henry Hughes 36. Left-arm paceman Scott Kirwin did the damage with a fine return of 6-23, which takes him to 50 wickets in his first League season. Stand-in opener Danny Berry was unbeaten with 77 as Hyde coasted home.

Oxton stay fourth after a 44 runs win at Oulton Park which plunged the mid-Cheshire side back to the foot of the table. Oxton’s man of the match was Sri Lankan all-rounder Gayan Fernando, who top-scored with 53 in his side’s 211, Lee Dixon supporting with 52 while Danny Leech took 4-101. Fernando then played a lead role in dismissing Park for 168 with 6-74 off 17 overs.

Neston were outplayed by Urmston at Parkgate and look like finishing in their lowest position for several years. They mustered only 107, David Hurst 33, Sumit Panda 5-10, Adam Syddall 5-60 and Urmston went on to win comfortably at 111-3, Chris Watson 58 not out.

Grappenhall’s last wicket match winners

Grappenhall moved off the foot of the table thanks to a tense one wicket win at Broad Lane against fellow strugglers Alderley Edge, who scored 196-9 declared, Alan Day 50, Gary Burns 3-27, Tony Hurdley 3-42. Grappenhall stared defeat in the face at 139-9 (Richard Green 35), when number nine batsman Hurdley was joined by his skipper Guy Emmett, the pair putting together a remarkable unbroken last wicket stand worth 58 to win the game and claim 25 points to Alderley’s 11. Hurdley was unbeaten with 39 and Emmett 22. Alderley’s Tom Atkinson took 5-61.

Depending on results in the last two weeks of the season, this partnership could have a significant effect on the relegation issue.

Macclesfield won another thriller, at Didsbury, by four runs after posting 198, Tom Parfett 68, Paul Sperring 4-35. Didsbury lost their last wicket at 194, Sperring 82, Tom Barron proving the match-winner with a 6-35 return.

REMAINING FIXTURES AT A GLANCE

Nantwich – Alderley Edge away; Toft home

Chester – Toft home; Neston away;

Hyde – Neston home; Oulton Park away

Neston – Hyde away; Chester home

Alderley Edge – Nantwich home; Macclesfield home

Grappenhall – Macclesfield away; Oxton home

Oulton Park – Urmston away; Hyde at home