1st XI move into second after low-scoring thriller

After a wet week Audlem 1st XI entertained Ellesmere Port, the only team to have inflicted defeat on them this season. Once again it turned out to be another thrilling game, with wickets falling at regular intervals throughout.

Port skipper Gareth Boys won the toss and surprisingly decided to have a bat on a damp track. The 1st XI attack soon had Port openers Paul Ashley and Stuart Daniels on the back foot with some excellent swing bowling. It was youngster Simon Swift who made the breakthrough trapping Ashley lbw for just 2. Daniels soon followed, top edging an attempted pull of Swift, leaving Port struggling on 14 for 2. Swift was bowling with great pace and accuracy and deservedly struck again with the last ball of his spell getting the important wicket of Chris Gattrell lbw for 4. Whilst Swift was taking the wickets from one end Rich Brown was bowling exceptionally from the other, with little reward. His first 6 overs conceded just one run.

With the pressure building, Jim Littlewood replaced Swift and had immediate success having Paul Isaacs caught behind by keeper Tim Ruscoe for 2. When Brown took his first wicket, having eventually put Colin Roberts out of his misery, Port were in deep trouble on 36 for 5. With Brown swinging the ball away from the batsman and Littlewood swinging the ball back in, the Port batsman had no response and their tail soon succumbed. Brown claimed three more victims and Littlewood two as Port were dismissed for just 51 with none of their batsman able to get into double figures. Brown finished with 4 for 18, Littlewood 3 for 12 and Swift 3 for 13.

If the home team thought they were going to have an easy day at the office they couldn't have been more wrong. When Andy Capper was trapped lbw by Khan with just the second ball of the innings, Audlem knew this was going to be a tough chase. With the ball still swinging round corners Littlewood joined skipper Chris Shenton at the crease. They took the score to nine before disaster struck with Littlewood needlessly running his skipper out trying pinch a quick single. In the next over Littlewood was caught behind again off Khan and when Rich Wilson and Tom Measures were both dismissed by Wayne Shore, Audlem were in disarray on just 14 with half the team back in the pavilion. Rich Brown soon followed trapped lbw by the impressive Shore with Audlem now 20 for 6.

Enter youngster Oli Burney. Whilst the other batsman had struggled with the prodigious swing Burney soon looked at ease. He and recent recruit Andy Rothwell helped take the score to 30 before Rothwell chopped the ball back on to his wicket whilst looking for a boundary, having become the first player of the day to reach double figures. With 22 runs still needed and only three wickets left, 17 year old Swift joined 16 year old Burney for what proved to be a match winning partnership. They survived a barrage of hostile bowling and even more hostile 'banter' from the fired up Port side with Swift hitting three crucial boundaries and Burney showing great grit to keep the Port attack at bay. They took the score to 49 before Swift (18) became Khan's fourth victim. Woodcock joined Burney and somehow survived the last ball of the over leaving Burney on strike for the start of Shore's next over. With three needed for victory Burney calmly carved Shore through the covers to hit the winning blow. He finished unbeaten on just 7, but it was undoubtedly the most important 7 runs of his young career.

Audlem gained a crucial 25 points for their victory and Port just 4. With promotion rivals Frodsham only gaining 8 points from their draw with Trinity, Audlem now move up to second in the division, although they are still 31 points behind pace-setters Haslington. On Saturday the 1st XI travel to Bramhall-based Trinity, hoping to keep up their excellent recent form.

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