A win and a draw for cricketers

Audlem 1st XI had a frustrating day as Port Sunlight's last pair held on to scrape a draw, whilst the 2nd XI had a comprehensive victory at home to Wirral in the Cheshire Cricket Alliance matches.

The 1st XI, conscious of having to win every remaining game to stand any chance of promotion from Division 3, came within a wicket of claiming the maximum 25 points. Batting first they got off to a poor start, slumping to 20 for 4. However, top scorer Tom Measures led a magnificent fight back. With the score at 107 for 6 with only ten overs remaining, Audlem's batsmen looked to be struggling to give their bowlers a decent target to defend. Measures and Rich Brown had other ideas and added a further 73 runs to take the score to 180 for 6 after their 48 overs. Measures finished on 82 not out and Brown 41 not out.

Port Sunlight's reply was very slow as wickets fell at regular intervals. Lyndon Woodcock took 5 for 29 in 10 overs and Brown completed a good all-round performance with 4 for 31 in 17 overs. Port Sunlght's last pair survived nine deliveries to cling on for a draw with the score at 93 for 9 after their 42 overs. Audlem took 15 points and Port Sunlight 4.

The 2nd XI continued their rise up Division 5 as they thrashed bottom-placed Wirral by 156 runs. The victory was built on their strong batting line up. Wirral won the toss and asked Audlem to bat. Norman Hindle and Toby Banfield (26) put on 21 for the first wicket before Hindle was out. He was replaced at the wicket by son, James. The younger Hindle made light of the Wirral bowling attack as he plundered 64 runs. The evergreen middle-order batsmen John Eve (20), John Chadwick (34 not out) and Pete Harding (18) added 112 runs in quick time as Audlem went in pursuit of an early declaration, which duly came in the 42nd over with the score at a formidable 218 for 6.

In reply, Wirral were soon in trouble and they could find no answer to the varied spin of Roy Wild, who finished with impressive figures of 4 for 16 off 13 overs. Harding (3 for 10) and Andy Jinks (2 for 10) supported Wild as Wirral eventually stuttered to 64 all out in 26 overs, to give Audlem a comprehensive win by 156 runs with 22 overs to spare. Audlem took 25 points and Wirral 4.

Next Saturday the 1st XI play host to mid-table Capenhurst, whilst the 2nd XI travel to high-flying Appleton. The 1st XI match starts at 2pm, whilst the 2nd XI start an hour earlier.

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