Alderley Edge achieved a break-through, first-win in the Cheshire County Premier league last Saturday against Didsbury and are looking to try to move off the bottom of the table in the next few weeks.
Edge won the toss at Didsbury and, despite a pitch that looked as though it might be difficult to score runs on, promptly elected to bat first.
Alderley opener Alan Day was determined not to give his wicket away and promptly set about grafting a hard-earned 41 off 87 balls which formed the backbone of the Edge innings.
A more aggressive 34 from wicket-keeper Adam Worrall, and 27 from skipper Jason Whittaker, with an important 20 not out from Paul Manton at the end of the Edge innings, gave the visitors a respectable total of 188 all out off 55 overs.
At tea it looked like the home side were favourites, as they have regularly scored over 200 this season and must have thought they were on for another maximum points victory.
Edge opened with skipper Whittaker and off-spinner Charlie Reid in an attempt to keep in tight and make sure Didsbury did not get off to a flying start needing only 3 and a half runs an over to win.
Alderley needn’t have worried as Whittaker tore through the Didsbury top order, reducing the home side to 32 for 4 off the first 10 overs. With Reid chipping in with three important wickets, to take 3 for 44 off 14 overs, Didsbury were never in the hunt.
However, it was Whittaker’s figure of 7 for 37 off 14.1 overs that really took the eye as Edge took a vital 23 points from the fixture. With Didsbury bowled out in less than 29 overs for just 88, Edge were left the victors by exactly 100 runs.
Whittaker’s knack of consistently putting the ball in the right place, and letting seam movement do the rest shows that you don’t have to bowl at 100 miles an hour to be successful in this league.
With a winning draw the previous week, Edge are now looking to put pressure on their rivals who are just above them in the table. With over half the season still to go the situation at the foot of the table looks set to develop into a tense battle to avoid relegation, with at least five clubs involved.
Next week Edge are at home to Grappenhall, one of those teams not too far ahead of them, which is just the sort of fixture Alderley need to be winning if they are to make progress.
Final score Cheshire Premier League
Alderley Edge 188
Didsbury 88
Alderley Edge won by 100 runs.
This is a member post by Mike Day.
