Winning draw not enough for Grappers

GRAPPENHALL  came away with a winning draw – and 13 points – from Neston in a match reduced by 18 overs due to rain.
It was a much improved performance compared with recent weeks but still left Grappers languishing at the foot of the Vivio Cheshire County League premier division.
Electing to bat first, Grappenhall were soon two down but there was then a substantial partnership between Warwick Abrahim and Iain Wright as the two of them imposed themselves on the Neston attack.
Iain departed for an aggressive knock of 41 but Warwick then found a staunch partner in Ian Barnes, and the two gathered momentum until Ian was out for a fairly rapid and hard hit 45.
Warwick continued to hold the innings together before finally been out for a patient, and much needed 63, and there were useful contributions from skipper Liam Parkinson, 20  and Gaz Burns, 17, and the declaration came at the end of the 51st over, and the score on 228-8.
This left Neston with 41 overs to chase the target, and the tone of their reply was immediately obvious as they made a rapid response, and were always up with the rate. However Grappenhall stuck to their task and wickets began to fall, with Sam Guest pick of the bowlers with 4-62 off 13 overs,  Barnes 2-42 off nine, and Alex Mathews 1-29. It proved to be a close run thing as Neston finally finished just two runs short of  victory at 226-7.
Grappenhall  now face a tough game against the powerful Chester Boughton Hall side at Broad Lane on Saturday.
At home to Tattenhall, Grappenhall 2nd went down by five wickets in a match they should have won, having set the visitors a target of 228.
Albert Pennington top scored with 55 on his return from serious injury. But poor bowling and fielding handed the game to Tattenhall.
However, in an evening match, Grappenhall 2nd cruised pass Nantwich in a t T20 Cup game,  chasing down the target of 145 with plenty of time to spare.
Iain Barnes hit a blistering 80 to easy Grappers to a place in the quarter finals.
Grappenhall 3rd were well beaten at table toppers Didsbury.
An inexperienced side was bowled out for 109 in only 35 overs, with David Seed, with a patient 30, being the only batsman to offer resistance.  The home side knocked off the runs for the loss of only two wickets with Grappers’ bowlers failing to find their line and length.
Warrington kept up their promotion challenge in division two with a fine win over Mobberley at Walton Lea.
The visitors were held to 180-9 with Brad McIntosh taking 5-42.
Warrington lost four wickets cheaply but then James Rudd, 51 and Will Fleetwood, 62 not out took control and with a well-struck 24 from James Hughes, the side coasted to a four wicket victory.
Warrington 2nd went down by 90 runs at Timperley after winning the toss and electing to field first.
Timperley hit 234-8 and Warrington were bowled out for 144 in 42 overs.
Warrington 3rd managed to hang on for a draw against Oxton after putting the visitors in and seeing them hit a respectable 235-7 in 48 overs.
Warrington’s last pair were at the wicket at the close with the score on 221-9.
Put in at Irby, Warrington 4th got much the better of a drawn game.
Les Connolly stop scored with 41 and five other batsmen topped 20 as Warrington reached 207-8 in 42 overs.
Irby made little attempt to go for the runs and finished on 95-7 with Jack Street and Mansoor Naseem taking two wickets each.
In the TACS Partnership Cheshire League, Lymm  Oughtrington Park won by six wickets at Kingsley.
The home side reached 211-9 in 45 overs with Matthew Bradshaw taking 3-70 and Travis Scholes 3-46.
Lymm’s reply started badly as three wickets fell cheaply but then Ben Phillips, 76 not out and Travis Scholes, 78 not out came together and took them to a six wicket victory.
Kingsley 2nd won the return fixture at Lymm, batting first and hitting 153 all out,  Lymm replied with 121, opener Liam Ramsbottom top scoring with 39.
In the Cheshire Alliance, Appleton won the “derby” game with Glazebury at Lyons Lane.
Appleton hit 223-4, with Ali Sharif hitting an unbeaten 100 and Kanthiraj Vensakar hitting 53.
Glazebury replied with 191, Scott Sparks top scoring with 32. Tom Lomas took 6-42.
At Hurst Lane, Glazebury 2nd were involved in a “derby” game and came out on top in their encounter with Rylands, who were bowled out for 77. Skipper Chris Ayre took 3-24 and Hakeem Dahou 3-8 with Alex McArthur picking up 2-10.
Glazebury lost just two wickets reaching their target, Michael Nutkins hitting 32 and Phil McCue 22 not out.
Rylands lst XI were bowled out for 95 at home against Audlem, Richard Buck top scoring with 32. Audlem reached their target in 22.5 overs for the loss of six wickets.
Appleton 2nd won  at Mossley, batting first and totalling 156 all out, Ed Sygrove top scoring with 48. Mossley were dismissed for 136, Chris Tomlinson and Michael Cumberland taking three wickets each.
Stretton 2nd hit 248 at Audlem, Mark Owens top scoring with 52 and Ben Southworth hitting 43.
Audlem held on for 105-8 at the close.