Appleton turned over by 2nd XI as Wild strikes

On Saturday the 2nd XI travelled to Warrington to face bottom-of-the-table Appleton 4th XI who were fully aware that this was possibly their last chance to escape relegation. Audlem were in no mood for sympathy as they came away with a 63-run victory.

Unusually skipper John Wainwright called correctly and decided to bat.  The enthusiastic but erratic Appleton bowlers reduced Audlem to 35 for 3 after 10 overs, with key batsmen Steve Broomfield (14), Zar Ahmed  and Wainwright all back in the pavilion. A circumspect Toby Banfield and an enterprising Danny Thorburn nursed the score to 77 after 22 overs before Banfield was caught for 10. Thorburn fell immediately after for 23 and Appleton were back on top.  Leo North overcame his recent run of bad form and played the anchor role with Paul Thorburn (14), Lyndon Woodcock (14) and, most especially, Roy Wild with an attacking 15 providing excellent support.  North was last man out for a top-scoring 25 and the final total of 167 was probably worth 200 on any other pitch, as the long outfield prevented many well-struck blows from reaching the boundary.

With 48 overs to reach their target, Appleton set about their task with gusto before the openers departed to catches from Wainwright and North, the latter from an excellent spell of pace from Rob Mottram.  The spinners Wild and Woodcock then came into their own. Backed up by the best ground fielding of the season (and the long grass), they bamboozled, baffled and frustrated the Appleton batsmen who subsided to 104 all out in 34 overs.  Only John Ormson offered any resistance, being left high and dry on 30 not out.

Wild, who cheerfully admitted he could have bowled all night, took 7 for 36, whilst Woodcock turned the ball so sharply he often missed both the bat and the stumps and finished with 2 for 29. The undoubted highlight of the day was, however, a wonderful, full-length, two-handed diving catch from skipper Wainwright at midwicket.

Audlem gained 25 points and Appleton 7.  The points gained from this victory have put the 2nd XI into a comfortable sixth place in Division 4.

On Saturday the 2nd XI welcome next-to-bottom Heaton Mersey Village to the Gorse Croft.  The match starts at the earlier time of 1.00 pm.

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