Humphries and Matthews tame HMV

The 1st XI, sitting in fourth place in Division 2 of the Cheshire Cricket Alliance, entertained third-place Heaton Mersey Village last Saturday. In a match of swinging fortunes, Audlem's own H and M pairing won the day over HMV as Audlem triumphed by 46 runs.

HMV won the toss and decided to bowl. The decision looked vindicated as their bowlers tore through Audlem's first five batsmen for just 35 runs. Only Kemal Toraman (16) and Dave Morris (17) had offered any resistance. Simon Swift and Qhama Matthews began the rescue as they took the score to 78 before Swift was run out for 12.

Toby Banfield joined Matthews and the pair added 103 for the seventh wicket until Matthews was bowled for a magnificent 93, which included twelve fours and two sixes. Banfield was out six runs later for an excellent 33. Skipper Callum McIlveen and Neil Humphries continued the revival, taking the score to 207, when McIlveen was bowled. Humphries and Stuart Elkes then shared an unbeaten last-wicket stand to leave Audlem 227 for 9 at the end of the maximum 48 overs. Humphries was 24 not out and Elkes 9 not out. For HMV, David Bailey took 4 for 59.

HMV's reply got off to a flying start as openers Somnath Sarkar and Kevin Wood shared an opening stand of 78, taming the hosts' bowling. The breakthrough came when Humphries snared Wood lbw for 20. Danger man Sarkar was caught by Toraman off McIlveen's bowling for a combative 70, leaving HMV 104 for 2. Five quick wickets by Humphries and McIlveen left HMV digging in for a draw at 122 for 7.

Only Ajit Phadke had been able to withstand the onslaught and he and Ahmed Navid added 25 for the eighth wicket before Phadke was stumped by Banfield off Humphries' bowling for 35. Navid and skipper Alan Stones added a further 25 until Navid became Humphries sixth victim for 32. The match was over when Stones was bowled by Humphries with HMV all out for 181. Humphries finished with 7 for 58, his second seven-wicket haul in two weeks, and McIlveen 3 for 62.

Audlem gained 25 points and HMV 9. As a result the teams swapped places as Audlem moved up to third. Today they travel to leaders Holmes Chapel.

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