Oakmere 1st XI (227/6) Vs Haslington 1st XI (210/9) - Oakmere won by 17 runs
The 1st XI started the 2026 season with a home game. Losing the toss the Oakmere side was put into bat for their first game back in Division 2. On a tricky track the start was slow from the home team. The opening pair held strong and reached 20/0 after the first 10 overs. The rate stayed steady, with watchful batting. The slow outfield was eventually overcome as the first boundary of the season was hit in the 15th over to push the score to 32/0. The rate began to slowly increase with the change of bowling and eventually the 50 partnership was brought up in the 21st over. After Jimmy Norton hit his first boundary in the 23rd, Matt Worsdale (33) was dismissed in the 24th over at 61/1. With the platform set, Zach Howdle joined Norton and the pair continued the controlled innings through drinks. In the 28th over the second wicket fell as Norton (21) went after a well fought innings. With the score at 69/2 after 28 overs, Seve Cupido was at the crease. He quickly got into his work and upped the rate dramatically. The boundaries began to flow before Howdle was dismissed leaving the score at 107/3 after 34 overs. Matt Holland joined Cupido and the pair continued to push the score forward. 44 runs from 5 overs took the score to 154/3 after 40 overs. The pair continued as Cupido brought up his half century off just 44 deliveries. Holland (34) fell in the following over ending the 63-run partnership and leaving the score at 180/4 after 45 overs. Cupido continued with a few more lusty blows propelling the score forward, before his own dismissal in the 48th over for 75 off just 58 balls. Some hard running in the last few overs continued to tick the score up and with a run out off the final delivery of the innings, the score ended at 227/6 off 50 overs.
A strong first outing with the bat put the home side in a good position to start the season with a win but knew that a strong bowling performance was still required. In contrast to the first innings, the opposition got off to a quick start striking 29 without loss off the first 5 overs. Matt Howard brought the first break through in the 6th and Worsdale followed up with another in the 7th. After an exciting first 7 overs, the score was 42/2. Verma entered the attack and aided Howard (1/17) in reducing the scoring rate and soon the pressure brought a wicket for Verma (1/17) in the 11th over. A partnership began to form in the coming overs and with the score still ticking along at a good rate. After a few while, Holland finally made the breakthrough to leave the visiting side 76/4 off 20 overs. The fall of wickets slowed the scoring and the new pair watchfully moved to drinks at 86/4. Cupido continued a strong debut for the club with a wicket after drinks. A partnership from the batting side again began to grow and threaten the home side. The pair brought up the third 50 run partnership of the game in the 37th over, ending it at 139/5. Eventually Worsdale made the breakthrough with a well taken catch by Holland to end the partnership in the 39th over. The runs continued but so did the wickets as Worsdale (3/60) claimed another in the 43rd over. 169/7 off 43 overs left the visitors needing 59 off the remaining 7 overs. Holland (2/33) and Cupido (2/42), bowling in tandem picked up one more each to leave the visitors 185/9 off 47 overs. With a strong finish the pair saw out the game with Haslington finishing on 210/9 off 50 overs.
The team celebrated a strong all-round win, by 17 runs, to kick off the new season in Division 2. Looking to build on the strong start, the 1st XI will travel away to Christleton on Saturday 25th April and host Hawarden in the first round of the League cup on Sunday 26th April.

Cheadle Hulme 2nd XI Vs Oakmere 2nd XI
Unfortunately, the rain caused an early cancellation of the 2nd XI first game of the season. Both teams take 6 points from the game and Oakmere 2nd XI look to open their account on Saturday 25th, hosting Upton 3rd XI.

Appleton 3rd XI (44/9) Vs Oakmere 3rd XI (105/9) - Oakmere won by 61 runs
Oakmere 3rd XI first game of the season was a visit to Appleton. In a new league and unsure what to expect, Oakmere were asked to bat first. On a damp April day, that was not an easy task and the team lost some early wickets before Brandon Jones and Isaac Brotherton came to the crease to steady the innings hitting a 50 run partnership. Brotherton eventually lost his wicket on 13 but Jones continued until eventually falling for a patient 45. The team finished 105/9 from their 40 overs on a difficult wicket.
Harry Peters and Jones opened the bowling and bowled superbly, taking early wickets. The Wickets continued to tumble as Jack Pickering joined the attack. Rachel Tidd and George Warburton also bowled well supporting the openers and pinning back the opposition. With regular wickets throughout the innings the home side were dismissed for 44 all out off 20 overs. Jones and Pickering took 4 wickets a piece and Peters was very deserving of his wicket to complete the game.
A strong opening win for the 3rd XI sees a good welcome to the new league. The team looks to build on this healthy victory going into the next match hosting Glazebury 2nd XI on the 25th of April.

Didsbury Womens 1st XI (188/1) Vs Oakmere Womens 1st XI (176 all out) - Didsbury won by 12 runs
Oakmere women 1st XI started their season away to Didsbury. Winning the toss, new captain Pheobe Cottam chose to bat first. A strong start from the visiting bowling side saw a slow opening powerplay from the batting side as the score moved to 24/0 off 8 overs. Controlling the rate despite still searching for the first wicket the bowlers continued to work, with Thisumi Jayawarna conceding 5 runs from 5 overs and Nat Lyons finished a tight 8 over spell conceding only 18 runs. The home side continued to slowly build their opening partnership, moving past 50 and surviving to drinks at 63/0 off 20 overs. The batting side moved the rate on over the next 10 overs reaching 122/0 off 30 overs. The partnership continued through the final 10 overs and was finally ended by Sophie Connor (1/36) caught by Phoebe Cottam on the final ball of the innings with Didsbury reaching 188/1 off the 40 overs.
A difficult chase was on after a hard-fought bowling display kept the score within reach. The Oakmere side started strong in response in the opening powerplay ending the 8th over at 36/0. Pheobe Cottam and Kerry Hartnett continued and brought up the 50-run partnership in the 11th over. The 89-run partnership was eventually ended in the 18th over, as Kerry Hartnett (41) was dismissed. The rate slowed as the 2nd wicket pair moved through drinks. The 2nd and 3rd wicket eventually fell in the 24th over as Cottam (23) was dismissed with the score at 109/3. Wickets began to fall at regular intervals with the 30th over ending at 130/5. Connor (18) came to the crease and began a rebuild ticking the score along to reach 160/6 after 37 overs, with a steep 29 runs required off the final 3 overs. Whilst attempting to up the rate wickets fell, with 2 in the 38th and 2 in the 40th. All out after 49.5 overs the score finished at 176, just 12 runs short of the target.
Despite a challenging start to the season, a strong fight from the team saw many positives for the coming season that they hope to take into their next game, hosting Chester Boughton Hall Womens 1st XI on 3rd May.