GRAPPENHALL picked up 12 points in a rain-affected draw at Toft in the Chapel Press Cheshire County League.
Batting first, Grappenhall reached a respectable 223-9, with Richard Green top scoring with 73, Adam Roylance 26 and James McCoy 24. The Knutsford side replied with 166-3, Gary Burns taking 2-23.
Grappenhall 2nd also drew with Toft, getting tantalisingly close to victory just eight runs short with four wickets in hand.
Toft batted first and hit 176, Lim Cuerton taking 5-36 and Sam Guest and Albert Pennington picking up two wickets each.
Will Sharp hit a fine 69 when Grappenhall replied and skipper Mike Holden hit a useful 29. But at the close they were 169-6.
Grappenhall 3rd’s game against Sale at Broad Lane was abandoned when the rain closed in with Sale on 86-2. Jack Critchley and Neil Muttock took one wicket each.
A number of games in the Warrington area were affected by the weather, with being abandoned or cancelled altogether.
But Glazebury maintained their good form in the Cheshire Alliance with a nine wicket win at Frodsham, where the home side were dismissed for a meagre 58. Veteran seamer Jon Gibbons took 5-1 and Same Stanier 4-31. Glazebury cantered to victory at 59-1, Wayne Hargreaves hitting 21 not out and Dave Mason 14 not out.
Glazebury 2nd came unstuck against Offerton who hit 176-8, despite good bowling by the home side’s bowlers. Maatthew Shailer took 3-38, Steward Caller 2-34 and Kyle Keeble 3-29. Glazebury were dismissed for 81, Chris Lord top scoring with 81.
Appleton went down by eight wickets against a strong Old Parkonians side. Batting first, they were tumbled out for 86, Danny Oliver’s 21 being the only innings of note. The home side raced to victory for the loss of two wickets.
However, Appleton 2nd got the better of a drawn game against Eastham at Lyons Lane.
Appleton were able to declare on 178-6, thanks to solid performances from Mike Arnold, 34, Ali Sharif 36, Aamir Rashid, 30 not out and Simon Tomlinson, 31 not out. Eastham quickly fell behind the run rate and put up the shutters to earn a draw at 108-5, Stuart Bate took 2-12.
Appleton 3rd were well beaten by Audlem who hit 205 and dismissed Appleton for 103.
Appleton 4th got the better of a drawn game against Wirral. Opener Emma Barlow set the pace with a well-struck 36 and Will Lloyd hit 57 as Appleton reached 170-8. Wirral were 135-8 at the close, Michael Cumberland taking 4-37 and Peter Hesford 3-7.
Rylands drew against Langley after the visitors hit a formidable 204-8. Ross Arrowsmith took 3-96, Adam Peters 2-35 and Richard Buck 2-35. Rylands replied with 143-6, Buck stop scoring with 35, Arrowsmith hitting an unbeaten 24 and Gary Moors 27.
The Rylands 2nd team held on for a draw against Wilmslow Wayfarers who batted first and hit 151-8. Sujith Nair, Mark Green, Mike Green and Mike Stanton took took wickets each. Rylands were 81-8 at the close, with only Andy Lowe, 18 and Sean Peters, 14 offering much resistance.
Women’s Cricket
CHESHIRE champions Appleton lost for the first time this season against a powerful Chester Boughton Hall side.
Chester hammered an impressive 153-4, with Natalie Lyons, 2-22, the pick of the Appleton bowlers. Appleton were reduced to 79-9, despite Emma Barlow’s 28.
