It’s going down to the wire in the relegation battle in the Cheshire Premier League as two key issues were settled last Saturday. Nantwich are champions in all but name, and Oulton Park are relegated just a year after they almost retained their premier league title on the last day of last season.
The remaining issue to be decided is whether Grappenhall or Alderley Edge are also to be relegated next week in the 22nd and last round of matches in the league season.
Edge lost the toss last Saturday having wanted to bat first but ended up fielding against the champions elect at Moss Lane. There was an excellent spell of fast bowling by 19 year-old Ben Davis for Edge as he accounted for the only two league batsmen with over 1,000 runs to their names in the season as Nantwich were reduced to 107 for 3 after 27 overs.
However, the visitors are not champions elect for nothing and they battled through to 235 for 7 off 55 overs as no less than five Nantwich batsmen made 30 or more, to leave them in a relatively strong position at tea with Edge desperate to try and secure as many points as possible in their relegation fight.
A steady start from openers Mark Currie and Alan Day promised much but a mid-innings slump, not helped by a run out for captain Jason Whittaker, had Edge in trouble.
Alderley number five, Adam Wildig, played one of his best innings for Edge with 40 to stop a complete collapse and Edge ended up with their last two batsmen, Jonny Usher and Mark Warnes, needing to hold out for five overs to secure the draw. A feat they accomplished without too much difficulty to secure two vital extra points for Edge as the innings closed on 155 for 9.
The overall league player of the year is surely Nantwich’s quick bowler Jamie Warrington who took another 6-wicket haul to reach 67 wickets for the season.
So it’s all down to the last game of the season with Edge at home to Macclesfield, and Grappenhall at home to Oxton, as both clubs desperately scramble to avoid the drop.
Final score: Cheshire Premier League
Nantwich 235-7
Alderley Edge 155-9
Drawn
This is a member post by Mike Day.
