Cricket Report – rain!

Saturday fixtures

For the first time this season the Saturday games became victims of the weather, with both games abandoned without a ball being bowled.

The first X1 made their way to Moddershall to find the wicket protected from the elements with a ripped and torn tarpaulin but in the event, it was of little importance as the rain that was forecast continued to persist and the game was quickly abandoned.

A similar story evolved at The Gorse Croft with players from J G Meakins CC and the second X1 sheltering in the pavilion watching the rain falling on the now sodden ground before calling it a day.

Next Saturday the first X1 play hosts to Porthill Park whilst the second team travel to Caverswall to take on the champions elect in the final game of their campaign. This is the first season Audlem have entered a second X1 in the North Staffs and South Cheshire League since joining a few years ago after previously playing in the Cheshire Cricket League alongside their senior club counterparts then continuing for a couple of seasons in The Stone and District League before amalgamating with the Sunday X1. Audlem have more than held their own and are currently third in the division albeit with no prospect of promotion this season as Caverswall and J G Meakins have ensured the points gap is now unsurmountable.

The Saturday Seconds do have another home game the following weekend ( 12 September ) when they play hosts to Little Munden CC from Ware in Hertfordshire.
Next Saturday's games both have a 12.30pm start time.

Sunday 30 August - Audlem .v. Macclesfield

The game originally planned on the fixture card was a trip to Springhill CC in Wolverhampton but by Tuesday evening it became apparent that not enough players were available to make the journey due to holidays, family & work commitments and illness so the game was reluctantly cancelled. Within a couple of days, the fixture secretary had received calls from a number of players from neighboring clubs informing him they were without a game on the day but all stated a reluctance to travel to a distant away fixture. This gave the secretary the task of finding replacement home opposition which materialized in the form of Macclesfield CC. Sunday morning arrived with clear skies, but possible thunderstorms throughout the afternoon forecast. The ground was still wet from the previous day's deluge, but the wicket was covered and dry so after some deliberation Macclesfield were willing to travel in the hope of a game of cricket.
With the prospect of rain breaks interfering with play the captains agreed on a 30 over per innings game with Audlem winning the toss and electing to bat first. Father and son combination Tej & Chinmay Nella opened up, and both managed to get run out after brief but enterprising knocks. Dave Parkinson ( 18 ) was looking in fine form until he got an unplayable delivery and was bowled. Wickets fell at regular intervals against a decent bowling attack but two of the guests came to the fore to rescue the hosts, Dan Perks ( 24 ) and Dan Manning ( 50 retired not out ) put on a 66-run partnership for the seventh wicket to give respectability to the eventual total of 163 for 8. Audlem certainly had the best of the batting conditions as the sky darkened after the tea interval, and distant thunder was heard with a couple of rain breaks included in the visitor's reply. Macclesfield were off to a fine start and looked odds on to win the game at a canter, but Audlem stuck to their task and as wickets began to fall, the scoring rate dropped considerably.With Dave Parkinson ( 6 overs 3 for 27 ) & Dan Perks (6 overs 1 for 11 ) bowling the final overs the runs dried up almost completely to give Audlem a victory by 15 runs as Macclesfield closed on 148 for 8.
An excellent game played in difficult conditions with a great deal of credit going to Macclesfield CC for travelling with the prospect of play in debate throughout the day and many thanks to the guys that helped us out to get the game on . Tej, Chinmay. Dan P and Dan M.

Next Sunday Audlem play hosts to Whalley Range CC from Manchester with a 1.00pm start time