The Fantastic Four-Nell

This match was sponsored by the Audlem Village Chippy, and Audlem CC would like to thank the Village Chippy for its support.

Marvel Comics themselves would have been happy with the script written by young Ronnie Farnell on Saturday, as his four wicket burst ignited Audlem's victory charge away at Rylands.

Audlem's fourth consecutive success puts them into promotion contention, as the Gorse Croft outfit occupy fourth position in the Cheshire Alliance Division 2 standings, 19 points behind rivals Rylands.

Audlem made one change to the side that won away at Knutsford two weeks previously. Tom Kural's international commitments for Turkey in the ICC Division 5 meant that Paddy Madden replaced him in the Uine-up.

Upon inspection light drizzle and a green deck greeted the visitors. Last year's game lay in the mind of the visitors, as Audlem were invited to bat first in what were initially testing conditions, before the pitch transformed into something more reminiscent of the M6, allowing Audlem to hold onto a nervous 10 run victory. Would the pitch play to the same tune? Or would a new composition unfold?

As in 2014, Audlem lost the toss, but were bowling first this time, and within the first few overs Callum McIlveen thought he had made the earlier breakthrough when Platt was caught behind. The umpire didn't agree though, incensing the Audlem fielders.

Despite this early setback, the bowlers continued to plug away, with the pitch and conditions seeming to suit batting more than what had been expected. With 25 on the board after almost 10 overs, Buck and Platt had played some pleasant strokes with the ball on the rise.

The Vice-Captain got the first wicket of the day as Platt dragged on for 12. Rowlands and Buck, though, continued where the opening pair had left off, running well between the wickets and punishing any wayward bowling. Rowlands particularly looked strong off his legs, flicking McIlveen and Swift away over the leg side for boundaries.

With few opportunities coming Audlem's way and the Rylands batsmen looking about as comfortable as Roger Federer at SW19 and Stoke City at the Britannia, Stanway and his charges would not have been human had they not envisaged chasing a total more synonymous with Roman Abramovich's bank account than a cricket score.

However, Ronnie Farnell's spell would alter the course of the match in tandem with the wily Neil Humphries. Farnell's figures of 4-10 put Audlem back in the contest in a big way. Having Graeme Rowlands caught behind at 58-1 signalled the turning tide, and Alan Brady and Steven Peters were soon bowled in quick succession, thus allowing Humphries to attack from the other end.

Buck soon followed them back. With the wicket of Wesley Jenkins falling to Farnell as well, the Humphries and Farnell combination left the Rylands innings battered and bruised in the corner at 81-7, after being 58-1.

Farnell soon tired though, allowing McIlveen to return the attack and mop up the remaining wickets, dismissing Rylands for 95 from 29.2 Overs. McIlveen finished with 3-29 and Humphries 3-22, ably supporting Farnell's efforts.

This meant Audlem required 96 to win from 60 overs. Nothing is ever a certainty with Audlem, nor is anything comfortable. Rylands required 10 wickets, to maintain their position at the top of the table and their excellent early season form.

Andy Rothwell and Richard Wilson were sent out by Stanway to try to make a sizeable dent in the chase. Wilson though was dismissed early by Sujith with Platt catching well down the leg-side, giving the ginger left-hander a breadstick shortly after tea.

Qhama Matthews replaced the former captain at the crease, as he and Rothwell began to make amends. Matthews and Rothwell rode their luck, but put the side back on track, before two balls that sum Qhama Matthews up as a cricketer happened.

The first ball was launched into the tree overhanging the boundary, followed by a second, which the Antiguan National shouldered arms to on the stumps. A classic example of the sublime and the sub-par moments that Matthews brings to the team.

40-2 became 60-3 when Rothwell was bowled for 25 by Thomas. Audlem's inaugural Turkish International, Kemal Toraman's innings was a short affair as well, as he added 10 runs before guiding one to gully off Buck.

When Madden was dismissed immediately after and Farnell a few overs later, Audlem were not too far away from being knocked out for the count themselves at 77-5 and 88-6, with Rylands chipping away, not giving in, and not giving Audlem an inch.

Skipper Stu Stanway though, stood firm and saw the away side to their target, finally finishing 31* with five boundaries. Like Floyd Mayweather on the ropes, Stanway remained calm at the crease, not being drawn into rash shots or errors, and kept the bowlers at arm's length.

Audlem picked up 25 points from the game and moved into fourth position. Rylands gained five points from the match and dropped down to second in the standings.

With Rylands playing in the Quarter Finals at the Gorse Croft the following day, the question on everyone's lips was could Audlem make it 2-0 over the weekend, or could Ryland turn the tables and draw level in the double header?

40 Over Cup Quarter Final Match Report to follow tomorrow.

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