THEY did it – and what’s more they did it in style, beating the champions-elect in the last match of the season.
Grappenhall escaped relegation from the ECB premier division of the Cheshire County League with an emphatic win at home to Alderley Edge.
It means Grappers will keep their place in the top tier for another season and if it seems strange to be celebrating avoiding relegation it is not just because Grappenhall have been something of a yo-yo club in recent years but also because there has not been much else to celebrate in Warrington area cricket this summer.
Nearly every club has finished in the basement department of their respective leagues.
But Grappenhall’s achievement must not be belittled. They didn’t just beat Alderley Edge – they slaughtered them.
They batted first, knowing they had to win.
Despite losing a couple of early wickets, they went on to hit a massive 246-9 in 55 overs.
In his final game for the club, Kiwi Tom MacRury hit 76 off 79 balls to put Grappers in charge.
He was well supported by Ben Bodha with a gritty 64 and Ed Barnes who came in late and got a quick 35 to set Grappers up for the win.
In reply, Alderley Edge never really got going thanks to superb bowling from the Grappers attack.
Tom MacRury finished off his summer with 3-30 to cap off a remarkable season with 568 runs and 52 wickets – the first Grappers player to achieve the feat in a long time.
Arav Shetty and Adam Roylance also bowled superbly to pick up two wickcs each.
Alderley crumbled to 150 all out to give Grappers a significant win to finish the season in style, but not before they had claimed enough points from the game to be crowned champions themselves.
There were celebrations all round at the end of the game and the Grappenhall players can be proud of their efforts this season against more illustrious opponents.
Unfortunately, Grappenhall 2nd finished their season with a loss at Stockport Georgians. Grappers posted 129-9 off their 50 overs but Stockport coasted home for the loss of three wickets with plenty of time to spare.
There was no escaping relegation for Warrington as they lost at Barrow and ended up bottom of County League division three.
The village side batted first after being put in and totalled 164 all out.
Thaakier Davids took 5-26 and Aamir Ali 3-38 and the target should have been reach of Warrington’s batting line-up.
But they were bowled out for 97 in the 42nd over with no batsman reaching 20.
It was a disappointing result to end a disappointing season from a team much changed from last year and will presumably see the side dropping to the lower Cheshire League next season.
Warrington 2nd won by two wickets at home to Upton, after dismissing the visitors for 154.
Eswar Peddi took 5-16 and Phil Whelan 4-33.
Rishek Manta top-scored with 31 as Warrington replied with 156-8 in the 48th over.
Warrington 3rd lost by 24 runs at North East Cheshire after being bowled out for 106. Vishy Ramakrishna top-scored with 34 before being trapped lbw.
Warrington 4th lost by 47 runs at home to Marple.
Affaan Shah took 4-43 as the visitors hit 210-7.
Warrington were all out for 163 with Howard Sellers hitting 36, Zak Kilpatrick 33 and Paul Higham 37.
Lymm Oughtrington Park lost by eight wickets at home to Trafford Metrovic.
Electing to bat first, Lymm were restricted to a disappointing 127-9 – largely due to a fine 58 from Arvind Pillai.
Trafford lost no time in hitting off the runs for the loss of two wickets.
Lymm 2nd went down by seven wickets at Macclesfield where they batted first and were all out for 94. Pick of the batsmen was Harry Carter with 28. Macclesfield responded with 96-3.
Appleton won by one run after an exciting finish at Cholmondeley, batting first and hitting 123, Ali Sharif top-scoring with 29. The home side finished on 122-8 when the overs ran out.
It was a good performance by Appleton against the division two runners-up but it wasn’t enough to escape relegation.
Appleton 2nd won by five wickets at home to The Groves.
The Wirral side were dismissed for 130, Oliver Cross taking 3-10 and Stanley Batt and Michael Cumberland picking up two wickets each.
Appleton cantered to victory, wicket-keeper Liam Mannion hitting an unbeaten 64.
Appleton 3rd went down by 72 runs at home to Europa Mere – bowled out for 57 after the visitors had hit 129-9.
Only performance of note was 4-20 from Becca Othick.
Appleton 4th were put to the sword at Alvanley where the home side amassed 275-7 and then bowled Appleton out for 89.
David Hurst, 28 and Josh Hill, 23 not out scored the bulk of Appleton’s runs.
Glazebury won an exciting match at home to Wistaston Village – but it wasn’t enough to lift them from the bottom place in division three.
Skipper Anthony Meulman top scored with 27 and Jack Warhurst hit 26 as Glazebury hit 137.
The visitors were bowled out for 121, Ben Marota taking 5-21 and Tom Whitby and Dave Nicholson picking up two wickets each.
