Alderley Edge’s first XI have successfully completed an historic double by winning the Cheshire Cup, Cheshire’s premier cricket knock-out competition, two years running having previously not won the competition for 32 years stretching right back to the 1970.
Edge won the trophy last September at Elworth and the 2010 final was a remarkable re-match with the same two sides having qualified for the final, although this time Edge won the toss for the venue and were at home.
Since last year, Elworth have signed up 24 year-old Pakistani test fast bowler Yasir Ali who has made a major impact this season with 82 wickets for Elworth’s first team. Edge won the toss and decided to bat first, a tactic that had paid dividends in earlier rounds. It is fair to say that Alderley’s Moss Lane ground had never seen anything quite like it as Ali launched in to the Alderley batting with a series of 80 plus mile-an-hour hostile deliveries that had the large crowd gasping. Ali’s startling figures after six overs were 5 for 9 as he dismantled the Edge batting line-up to leave the home side in tatters at 35 for 6.
Step forward Alderley skipper Jason Whittaker who was the man for a crisis as he slowly rebuilt the Edge innings with good support from Jon Usher and Tom Atkinson. Cheshire stalwart Whittaker can rarely have played a more important club innings as he accelerated his scoring rate near the end of Edge’s 45 overs to finish on 72 not out and give the home side some sort of total to defend, having closed on 162 for 8.
Not content with his monumental batting performance, Whittaker then opened up with a 7-over spell that yielded just 4 runs, taking 2 wickets. Elworth found themselves bogged down, unable to score with any degree of fluency, with off-spinner Charlie Reid taking 2 for 31 off 9 overs, and medium pacer Tom Atkinson, 2 for 20 off 8 overs.
However, wickets were falling at regular intervals and the visitors could get nobody in that was able to get on top of the Edge attack. It was fitting that Whittaker returned to take the final wicket to record the sensational figures of 3 for 7 off 8 overs, leaving Edge the victors by 47 runs.
The game will live long in the memory of the Edge faithful, but it was the remarkable tour de force performance of skipper Whittaker that was the stand out feature of this sensational match.
Edge had another rousing win the previous day at Didsbury with good batting performances from Alan Day, Richard Wilkinson and Mark Currie, with a tremendous all-round display by Charlie Reid as Edge won by 15 runs to leave them in joint fifth place with only one match left in the Cheshire Premier League.
Final Score Cheshire Cup Final: Alderley Edge 162-8 Elworth 115 all out, Alderley Edge won by 47 runs.
