Resurgent Audlem grind down Knutsford

8th May 2010: Audlem are rolled over for 122. The costly drop of Elleray by skipper Chris Shenton defined the Knutsford innings. Audlem lose by 3 wickets. Audlem miss out on promotion by 14 points.
25th May 2013: Knutsford skittle Audlem for 69. A dropped catch and a dislocated thumb for the returning Richard Wilson live long in the memory for the Bunsley Bank outfit. Audlem lose by 6 wickets. Audlem miss out on promotion by 26 points.
17th May 2014: Knutsford complete professional performance against Audlem as they collapse to 84 all out. Audlem lose by 48 runs. Audlem miss out on promotion by 20 points.

History seems to repeat itself at Audlem Cricket Club. On the final day of both the 2009 and 2010 seasons, Audlem 1st XI failed in promotion bids as catastrophic collapses against Saughall and Ellesmere Port proved to be their downfall.

In the same seasons, crucial drops by Andy Rothwell in the title deciding matches against Haslington and Glazebury remain deeply engrained in the memories of the Audlem players still at the club.

With this in mind, three draining defeats in a row, away at Knutsford, seemed par for the course. No current Audlem player had won at Knutsford.
 
For the first time in the 2015 season, Audlem took an unchanged team to Knutsford, following the convincing win at home to Old Parkonians. Such were the conditions, skipper Stu Stanway would have batted first, but then the first complication came Audlem's way. Toss Lost, Bowling First.
 
Things started positively enough. 2 early breakthroughs for Swift, with McIlveen unlucky not to have at least 1 wicket with a close LBW adjudged not out and a drop in the slips by Rothwell, both against the watchful Shake Shimul. A blessing in disguise bowling first? The early exchanges seemed to suggest so.

Too many dropped catches, though, can have the opposite effect. Another shelled chance in the slips from the unmentionable Andy Rothwell and an emerging partnership from Shimul and Adnan would have worried even the most optimistic of Audlem Ultras.
 
The man for any occasion, Neil Humphries, eventually got the breakthrough, with Swift taking a comfortable catch at mid-off as Adnan departed for 23. Knutsford, however, regrouped again as Rasel Ahmed and Shake Shimul played some powerful shots to keep the runs ticking over. A double strike followed, though, as Shake Shimul and Surnam departed. Both were bowled. Audlem pressed on.
 
Zain Ali, Knutsford's skipper, and Rasel Ahmed once again tried to rebuild the crumbling Knutsford innings, as Stanway opted to bring Qhama Matthews into the attack. For those who are not familiar with Qhama Matthews, there are few things that have less energy than him when he's fielding.

Koalas, Sloths and Bob Coral after a set in Ibiza have all been known to show more energy than the slow left bowler between fielding positions. However, once the call was given to warm up, he was pouncing around the outfield like a cheetah in the Serengeti.

His introduction soon brought about the downfall of Rasel Ahmed for 28, as Swift took another high catch at mid-off. He would have had a second wicket for his efforts as well, but Callum McIlveen failed to lay a hand on his skier. DNA Evidence would later prove that it was a drop. Was it history repeating itself or merely another new member of the Knutsford dropped catches Social Club? Time would tell.
 
Audlem's senior bowler soon made up for it though, finishing the innings off with two wickets in two balls, the former of which squared Zain Ali up and took the bail of his off stump away and out for dinner. A 'peach' some might say. The kind of delivery you would want your daughter to marry (if a delivery was human).

This was after Neil Humphries had grabbed two more scalps to end up with figures of 4-32 from 12 overs, meaning Audlem required 123 runs to claim the full 25 points.
 
The reply started smoothly enough. Wilson and Rothwell moved without trouble to 32-0. A couple of cover drives and dominant shots from Rothwell down the ground had given Audlem a good start. Then Bang. Wilson was gone from a Rasel Ahmed delivery that roared back into his leg stump. 32-1. Six balls into the future. 36-2. Tom Kural, out. Caught Shake Shimul off Adnan.
 
Skipper Stu Stanway was then brought to the crease. Controversy seemed to follow him out to middle, as an appeal for caught behind was given not out, which was met with derision and fury from the Knutsford side.

His reprieve didn't last long, though, before he was bowled by Rasel Ahmed and sent merrily away by the Knutsford fielders, much to the anger of Stanway. No changing rooms were harmed in the making of this Cheshire Alliance Division 2 match, thankfully. 51-3 soon became 53-4 and Audlem were staring another Knutsford batting collapse straight in the eye. Who would blink first?
 
Audlem's hopes rested on Andy Rothwell, who, after the dismissal of Wilson, was playing more circumspectly. His dropped catches and watchful batting were a throwback to the 2009 version of Andy Rothwell. Not the 2015, all-or-nothing specification that the side now have.

Joined at the crease with Qhama Matthews, the two set about the total quickly. An investigation by WADA was instantly called, after Qhama Matthews and Andy Rothwell managed to run a three. Stunned silence on the Audlem bench.

Matthews timed the ball well and looked good for his 22. A flick through midwicket in particular was the highlight, shortly before he chopped one to Sheridan at slip, who juggled the catch before holding on well.
 
At 80-5 and the game still in the balance, a partnership was needed. Kemal Toraman was the man, blasting a quick-fire 28, including 6 fours as he took Audlem within touching distance of the total, as Rizwan Hasnain bowled Toraman looking for the glory shot to win the game. His work was done, though. Audlem were there. Andy Rothwell completed the victory, slapping one through backward point to win the game and earn that illusive victory at Knutsford.
 
Rasel Ahmed was the pick of the Knutsford bowlers with figures of 3-40. Audlem got 25 points and picked up consecutive victories for the first time in the season.
 
This match was sponsored by James Hindle. His nominated charity for the weekend was Soroptimist International. To find out more about Soroptimist International, please visit www.sigbi.com.
 
Next weekend Audlem 1st XI face Eastham at Home in a 1.30pm start.

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