Romiley 1st XI (321/4) Vs Oakmere 1st XI (324/5)
The 1st XI travelled away to Romiley and winning the toss chose to bowl first. The innings started slowly with 7 runs in the first 3 overs, but boundaries began to flow through the powerplay. With a wicket from Matt Holland (1/62) on the final ball of the 10th the home side reached 72/1 off 10 overs. The scoring slowed slightly through the next 10 overs with the score moving to 116/1 off 20 overs. A good spell tightening the scoring brought a 2nd wicket to Mat Giles (1/33) before drinks and the score was 132/2 at the halfway point. Some control continued after the break however with wickets in hand the home side began to make the most of good batting conditions and push the scoring on. The home side passed 200 in the 35th over and had a strong platform for the final 15 overs. With 10 overs left the score was at 231/2 and though some boundaries came the hard running pushed lots of singles which kept the score ticking along. The 3rd wicket finally came for Sevi Cupido (2/68) in the 49th over as he took 2 in 2 balls. The score finished at 321/4 from 50 overs. A large total, the highest in the league to date, was set.
A record chase was required to take the victory after a hard 50 overs in the field. Knowing that wickets in hand would be the key to having any chance at the chase, the opening partnership started steady. James Norton and Matt Worsdale made their way through the opening 10 overs bringing up the 50-run partnership and ending the powerplay at 55/0. The pair continued through the next 10 overs together and brough tup the 100-run partnership in the 20th over finishing it 102/0. The over also brought up Nortons personal 50. Two overs later Norton fell for a run a ball 63, a brilliant innings that helped build the platform for the chase. The opening partnership ended at 116 runs and brought Frank Herrington to the crease. Worsdale brought up his own 50 in the 23rd over and continued along with Herrington past the drinks break. The pair continued on and brought up another 50-run partnership. Reaching 173/1 after 30 overs there was 149 runs still required from the final 20 overs. Herrington’s vital innings was ended for 45 off 39 in the 34th over. Cupido joined Worsdale who went on to bring up his first ever century in the 37th over, reaching 100 off 112 balls. The following over he was dismissed for a well made 101 and the score moved to 236/3 off 38 overs. Ian Eaton joined Cupido with 86 needed form the final 12 overs. Two big overs started the final 10 bringing 28 from them. After a few big hits Cupido was dismissed for 44 off 28. 36 was left needed off the final 5 overs. A few boundaries came but so did another wicket. Eaton continued and striking another lust blow left 10 needed form the final two overs. Taking 8 from the penultimate over the innings was teed up for Craig Phelan to smash the winning boundary in the final over to have the chase complete with 4 balls remaining. Eaton finished 40 not out off 33 balls having played a wonderful hand to finish the innings. The team ended 324/5 completing a club record chase.
A brilliant Saturday brought about another 20 points and once again showed the character and fight from the 1st XI to come back after a difficult first half. The team look to press on and go again next week hosting North East Cheshire.

Oakmere 2nd XI (173 all out) Vs Urmston 2nd XI (213 all out)
Oakmere hosting Urmston lost the toss and were asked to field first. The innings started well for the batting side with a the powerplay ending at 50/0 off 10 overs however a wicket with the first ball of the 11th Nathan Gee claimed the first wicket. He claimed the 2nd in the 13th and Dave Purcell claimed the 3rd in the 17th over. Jimmy Sidebottom claimed one in the next over and the score moved to 110/4 off 18 overs. The wickets continued to fall at regular intervals with Purcell claiming 3 more before the end of the 31st over. The score moved to 153/7 off 31 overs. Corey Lewis and Harry peters picked up one a piece through the back end of the innings and Gee claimed his second in the 49th over to cut the innings short at 213 all out.
A fairly large total to chase would require a strong batting performance but did not look out of reach. Losing a wicket in the 2nd over got the innings off to a rocky start however, a strong partnership began to build between Jack Pickering and Gee. The 66-run partnership came to an end as Gee (38) fell in the 14th over with the platform set. Pickering continued with Lewis Newall who’s quick 24 off 20 came to an end in the 19th over. At 109/3 off 19 overs the side looked well set for the chase. Pickering’s good innings stabilising the innings came to an end before the halfway point falling for 41. One more wicket fell before the halfway point reaching 25 overs at 125/5. Sidebottom fell in the 29th over a flourish followed with 3 wickets in 4 overs. The score sat at 148/8 off 32 overs. The regular wickets continued as Mike Dodd fell in the 36th over and the final wicket came in the 37th. The innings ended at 173 all out from 36.1 overs.
Regular wickets prevented the successful chase but with positives to take from the weekend, the side look to get back to winning ways next week when they visit Ashton-on-Mersey.

Oakmere 3rd XI (145 all out) Vs Winnington 3rd XI (200/6)
Oakmere 3rd XI welcomed Winnington 3rd XI to Winsford who won the toss and asked Oakmere to bowl first. An early wicket fell thanks to the bowling of Roger Pickering (1 for 18) but Winnington batted well maintaining a healthy run rate. Dan Gilbert came on at first change and bowled superbly taking two wickets (2 for 27) supported well by Ben Hardie (0 for 21). George Warburton (1 for 20) took a further wicket of the set opening batter which stifled their progress. The older guard then bowled 14 overs between them with captain Ian Bett taking 2 wickets (2 for 36) and James Lewis (0 for 30) with Winnington finishing on 200 for 6.
George Warburton (61) and Ian Bett then batted well for an opening 61 run partnership before the skipper got caught at mid-on. Regular wickets then began to fall while George continued to bat well at the other end. George eventually was caught leaving the team 101-6 but despite another strong batting performance from Dan Gilbert (37) and Roger Pickering (11*) Oakmere ended 55 runs short.
Oakmere are at home again next week against Lymm and plan to return to winning ways

Leigh Women’s 1st XI (174/9) Vs Oakmere women’s 1st XI (175/8)
Leigh won the toss and chose to bat first. They got off to a fast start but an early wicket from Kerry Hartnett stunted the progression with the score at 39/1 off 5 overs. Regular wickets came as Hartnett picked (2/24) up a second and Nat Lyons (2/37) claimed two more before the end of the 14th over with the score moved to 85/4. A partnership began to grow through the middle overs, but tight bowling kept the rate in check. The 5th wicket fell to Imogen Wood in the 33rd over at 137/5. Wood (2/11) claimed a second soon after and after some boundary hitting a flourish of 3 wickets in the final two overs, one for Layla (1/21) Dwyer, one for Sarah Worsdale (1/57) and a run out to Hartnett brought the innings to end at 174/9 from 40 overs.
The chase started well with a 50-run opening partnership between Hartnett and Pheobe Cottam. The partnership was ended as Cottam (18) was dismissed in the 16th over leaving the score at 66/1. Hartnett (24) fell in the following over and Amy Jones joined Worsdale. The pair moved through the middle overs adding a further 45 runs before Worsdale (11) was removed. At 117/3 off 26 overs, 57 was left required from 14 overs. A 4th wicket fell two overs later, but Jones continued with Dwyer. Dwyer (10) fell int eh 33rd over and Jones in the following over after a well made 34. At 153/6 off 34 overs, 22 was left required from the final 6 overs. Another wicket fell in the 36th. With 15 needed off the final 4 the pressure began to mount. Sophie Connor and Wood claimed 4 runs a piece for the next 3 overs leaving 3 required from the final over. The 8th wicket fell with scores level and 3 balls remaining. The innings finished at 175/8 off 39.3 overs.
A brilliant fight from the Women’s 1st XI pushed them over the line in a tight game and gives much needed 25 points. The Women’s XI will look to go back-to-back against Chester Boughton Hall on the 16th of August