Cricket round-up – 1sts lose, 2nds no game

1st XI

The 1st XI played against Westminster Park 1st XI last Saturday at the Gorse Croft. With Audlem in third place and Park in second in Division 2, this was crunch match. Unfortunately, Park won by 4 wickets. Despite a green tinged pitch and overcast conditions, skipper Rich Wilson won the toss and chose to bat.

Wilson and Andy Rothwell opened but Rothwell and then debutant Chris Connolly were soon out as Audlem slumped to 10 for 2 after five overs. Stu Stanway and Wilson slowly began to rebuild the innings until the home captain was bowled for 15. Stanway followed lbw shortly after for 17 and Audlem were now in real trouble at 55-4.

Tom Sant and Tom Kural steadied the ship for a while before Sant was brilliantly run out from backward point by a direct hit with the score on 75. Kemal Toraman joined Kural and they added a further 20 runs before Toraman was out for 10. Kural, who had started brightly, became bogged down as he started to run out of partners with plenty of overs still left to face.

Finally Kural was removed with five overs to go for a gritty 36. One run late Audlem's innings was over with the scoreboard showing 130. For Park, Krunal had picked up excellent figures of 5-27.

Park's openers Pratik Damani and Naseer Majid put on 47 for the first wicket when Neil Humphries trapped Majid lbw for 30. Six runs later Damani was bowled by Connolly for 21. When Humphries claimed another lbw with the score on 61, Audlem appeared to be back in the match.

However, despite losing three further wickets, the visitors never really looked like capitulating and they reached their target with more than 20 overs to spare. Connolly finished with three wickets, Humphries with two and McIlveen claimed the other.

Westminster Park gained 25 points and Audlem 8. As a result the 1st XI drop to sixth, 19 points behind Park, who remain second. Today the 1st XI travel to eighth place Bowdon Vale.

2nd XI

The 2nd XI were handed 25 points last Saturday when they were spared the travel to Stalybridge, as the home side could not raise a team. The 2nd XI remain in third place in Division 4, just eight points away from a promotion slot. Today they entertain fourth place Westminster Park 2nd XI. The match starts at 1.30 pm

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