Alderley Edge First XI remained at the foot of the Cheshire County Premier League following a losing draw at Moss Lane on Saturday with stubborn resistance from their tailenders preventing a loss to table-toppers Hyde.
Sam Perry chose to bowl first after a delayed start saw the game reduced to forty overs per innings but the visitors started the stronger with a 66-run opening stand between Tom Partridge and Lancashire's George Balderson before the latter was removed by Dan Fesmer for 18. Partirdge combined with Lancashire Academy prospect Rhian Maisuria to push Hyde's total up to 116 before the opener was dismissed for 54 with Pat Ashling taking the catch in the deep off Saami Welsh.
The wicket of number 4 Luke Young falling to Andrew Windle, via a sharp catch in the covers by Ed Foster, was the signal to Hyde's middle order to up the tempo with Masuira and Andrew Jackson beginning to search for boundaries. Alderley struck a double blow to reduce the visitors to 191-5 with Jackson run out for 12 and Masuria stumped by the returning George Bell to give Fesmer his second wicket of the afternoon within the space of an over.
However the incoming Cole Turner (28 not out) and former Alderley man Adam Worrall (16 not out) both scored at better than a run a ball as they allowed Hyde to finish with a flourish closing on 237-5.
Jackson struck a hammer blow for Hyde early in Alderley's reply claiming Perry caught behind for the second time in a week for just 2. Ed Foster and Subhaan Mahmood steered Alderley out of initial trouble adding 60 for the second wicket before Foster was also caught behind for a well made 41.
Other than Mahmood, who was Alderley's fifth wicket to fall for 23, Alderley's middle order came and went without troubling the scorers, losing 5 further wickets for the addition of just 12 runs as Hyde's attack turned the screw on the hosts particularly through spinner Charlie Barnard (3-16) and seamer James Chew (2-21). Number 9 Andrew Windle combined with overseas player Saami Welsh to keep the Hyde bowlers at bay as the pair added 32 for the eighth wicket until Windle was dismissed for 21 off 39 balls with two overs of the match remaining.
Further drama then unfolded as George Valentine was trapped in front by Daniel Cranmer on the penultimate ball of the game, giving Cranmer his third wicket of the innings, but Alderley number 11 Fesmer was equal to the task clipping the predicted arm ball from Cranmer for 4 off the final ball of the game to avoid defeat and give Alderley 5 points from the contest to Hyde's 18.
In Saturday's other game Alderley's Second XI suffered a seven-wicket defeat at the hands of neighbours Macclesfield at Victoria Road. Alderley failed to capitalise after winning the toss and electing to bat with only skipper Alan Day, with 18 from the opening berth, and number 6 Lewis Wilson, who top-scored with a battling 33, reaching double figures as the hosts bundled Alderley out for 104 inside 35 overs.
Macclesfield's attack was led by Mudasser Panchbhaya who took 6-29 with fellow opening bowler William Jennings providing strong backup in taking 3-36. Alderley landed a few blows with the ball reducing the hosts to 41-2 before 52 not out from number 3 Dan Evans and 12 not out from Panchbhaya saw them home for the loss of only 3 wickets.
Alderley's Second XI enjoyed a better outing at Bramhall in the T20 competition on Tuesday evening securing an 8 wicket win on the final ball of the game. Bowling first, Alderley quickly reduced the hosts to 10-2 in the early stages before a run-a-ball 53 from opener Harry Smith and 39 from 42 balls for Paul Mohite carried Bramhall's score past the hundred mark.
Alderley's attack re-grouped to close out the innings well in restricting the home side to 126-6 off their 20 overs, Alan Day the pick of the bowlers taking 3 wickets for just 8 runs off his 4 overs. Day completed a good all-round performance in striking 61 from 63 balls to see Alderley to their target for the loss of two wickets with 20 from skipper Andy Kennedy and 26 from Jon Steele in support. Tejas Rao held his nerve to strike a boundary off the final ball of the game to give the visitors the win.
