Promotion drive goes on

GRAPPENHALL – fielding three former Lancashire players, one of them a former Test player – maintained their drive for promotion to the Chapel Press Cheshire Premier League.
Batting first they defeated Cheadle by 46 runs away from home to claim the full 25 points.
But main rivals Macclesfield also picked up maximum points so the three point gap between the two clubs remains and the promotion chase looks likely to go on until the end of the season.
Richard Green – one of the former Lancashire players – hit 40 and Luke McCoy 57 as Grappenhall totalled 220-5 declared. Former Test star Neil Fairbrother, playing his first game for the 1st XI, was unfortunately run out after scoring only three and the other former Lancashire player, skipper Steve Titchard, did not bat at all.
But he took 4-53 when Cheadle replied.
Gaz Burns took 2-37 and McCoy 2-32 as the home side were dismissed for 174 after recovering somewhat from being 37-4.
Grappenhall 2nd’s promotion chase continued with a fine win over Cheadle. Will Sharp hit 71 and Neil Tithcard 32 as Grappenhall hit 187-9. Michael Holden chipped in with 27.
Cheadle were soon in trouble at 22-3 and eventually slumped to 108 all out. Sam Guest took 2-15, James Egerton 4-34 and Neil Titchard 2-11.
Grappenhall 3rd were dismissed for 117, Ashley Higham top scoring with 32. Bramhall cantered to victory with 119-1.
Warrington 4th amassed 228-3 declared against Timperley, Mansoor Naseem hitting 97, Aaron Chaderton 67 and Les Connolly 39. Timperley were dismissed for 104, Greg Atkins taking 3-27.
In the Meller Braggins Cheshire League, Lymm Oughtrington Park went down by 49 runs against Barnton who batted first and totalled 154. Lymm replied with 105.
Stretton took a mauling at the hands of Cheadle Hulme Ladybridge who batted first and were all out for 142. Stretton were tumbled out for 65.
In the Cheshire Alliance, Glazebury pressed on with their promotion challenge travelling to Heaton Mersey Village to defeat the home side by 48 runs.
Glazebury batted first and reached 146-9, skipper Wayne Hargreaves hitting 39, Jack Warhurst 37 and Chris Lord 20. The home side had no answer to the pace of Sam Stanier who took 6-11 and Paul Charlton who took 3-29, and were dismissed for 98.
Glazebury 2nds’ recent run of victories came to a halt at Hurst Lane when they struggled to hang on for a draw against Capenhurst.
Winning the toss, they inserted the visitors who hit 176, Shaun Conroy taking 5-44 and Sean Caine 3-43.
Opener Devesh Shete hit a sound 44 as Glazebury replied but it was left to the last pair to hang on for 12 overs to save the match.
Appleton were denied victory at Wistaston after hitting a formidable 197-5. Richard Clarke, 57, hit his third half-century in as many weeks and David Hurst hit 45.
Danny Oliver, 5-36 and Edward Pugh, 2-22 reduced the home side to 97-8 but were unable to dislodge the tail.
Appleton 2nd also failed to capitalise on a good batting performance against Rostherne.
Steve Reece, 54, Stuart McIntosh 38 not out and Sam Swift, 32 took Appleton to 202-6 but Rostherne dug in and plodded to 103-4.
Appleton 3rd sent down by seven wickets in the derby match against Rylands. Dave Darbyshire, 33 and Paul Grumley, 20 were the main contributors to Appleton’s 130-8. Ben Shield, 3-45, Mark Green, 3-32 and Alex Green, 2-11 took the wickets for Rylands who then hit off the runs for the loss of three wickets, Alan Barker top scoring with 52 not out.
Appleton 4th lost by two wickets against Heaton Mersey Village. Batting first, Appleton hit 145, Ali Sharriff top scoring with 65 but HMV reached their target with two wickets to spare, despite Aamir Rashid picking up four wickets.
Rylands 1st XI draw a game shortened by a waterlogged pitch at Langley where the home side batted first and hammered 175-8 in 31 overs. Skipper Richard Buck took 4-56 and Jay Leicester 2-8. Rylands replied with 123-5, Eddie Platt 44 and Leicester 27.