GRAPPENHALL got their season in the Chapel Press Cheshire County League off to a flying start with a comprehensive, nine wicket win over Poynton at Broad Lane.
Skipper Steve Titchard asked the visitors to bat first on a good wicket which offered some encouragement to bowlers but also enabled batsmen to play shots with confidence.
Poynton, after a brisk start were restricted to 166-8 in 50 overs, a target which with Grappenhall`s strong batting line up never looked to be enough.
Garry Burns took a key wicket early on, but it was the introduction of Aussie Dean Riches on debut, and Luke McCoy who really did the damage, the former taking 3-47 the latter 2-29.
Former Lancashire batsman Richard Green, 67 not out and Iain Wright, 85 not out made light work of the Poynton attack and Grappenhall cantered to 169-9
Grappenhall 2nd also romped to a fine win at Poynton where the home side were tumbled out for a meagre 47. Sam Guest and new boy Shiv Jogi each took four wickets for nine runs and off spinner Neil Titchard finished things off with 2-0.
Grappenhall lost two wickets reaching their modest target.
A 10-man Grappenhall 3rd started their season with a cup game – and a big score. Mark Tyerman hit a superb 117 at Birkenhead Park as Grappenhall totalled a formidable 252.
The home side lost a wicket in the first over and soon had five wickets down thanks to Neil Muttock and Paul Tyerman who took three and two wickets respectively.
But the Birkenhead middle order then took Grappenhall’s bowling to task and eventually reached their target with three wickets to spare.
Warrington started their campaign to win promotion from division two with an exciting one-wicket victory at Brooklands.
The home side batted first and were dismissed for a modest 143, Lewis Nunn taking 3-44 and Dan Pascoe 6-56.
James Hughes, 20 and Richard Heaney, 40, got Warrington off to a good start but there then followed a mid-order collapse. Steve Heydon, 23 not out and Brendan Morris, 30, staged a fight back but Warrington’s last pair were at the wicket when they eventually scraped the winning run.
Women’s Cricket
APPLETON Women’s captain Emma Barlow will skipper a strong Select XI to take on the Cheshire Women’s League champions Poynton on Sunday (April 25).
Another Appleton player, Jess Lewis has also been selected for the match, a curtain-raiser for the women’s league cricket season.
In fact, the women’s Twenty20 competition has already started and local side Appleton Tigers romped home to a fine victory over Neston.
The Tigers hit 106-4 with Amy Page top scoring with 25 retired. Then they restricted Neston to 89-4, Page again showing early season form by taking 2-6.
