HALL STARS BUT
CHESHIRE BEATEN BY OXFORDSHIREHALL STARS BUT
CHESHIRE BEATEN BY OXFORDSHIRE
Pictured: Cheshire skipper Andy Hall was
in the runs, but his side lost by two wickets to Oxfordshire
Photo credit David Bailey
By Neil Goulding (Cheshire Press Officer, 07813 859986)
CHESHIRE suffered an early setback on Sunday in their quest to
win this season's MCCA Knockout Trophy.
Skipper Andy Hall
top-scored with a fine innings of 72, but it was not enough to
stop his side slipping to a surprise two-wicket defeat against
Oxfordshire at Christleton Cricket Club.
Having lost the toss and been asked to bat the hosts posted a
challenging 284-9 from their allotted 50 overs.
But despite having the visitors in trouble at 176-6 and 193-7,
Cheshire failed to close out the match and Oxfordshire made sure
of two maximum points to leave Group One wide open.
"It's disappointing to lose when you've posted a good score
like we did, but fair play to Oxfordshire because they played
well to chase down the runs," reflected Bramhall's Hall.
"We could have probably got a few more runs, which would
have made it interesting, but we had our chances in the match
and didn't take them."
Buoyed by an opening group match victory over Cumberland which
saw them go top of the table, Cheshire started brightly as openers
Danny Leech and Warren Goodwin shared in a opening stand worth
69.
Oulton Park left-hander Leech was out for 42 and Chester Boughton
Hall batsman Goodwin contributed a welcome 46 runs.
Then skipper Hall top-scored with his first half-century of the
county season, well-aided by Hyde's James Duffy who chipped in
with 37.
But from a solid position at 227-4 Cheshire then lost five wickets
for 57 runs as Oxfordshire stopped the hosts pushing past the
300-mark.
"We were probably 20-30 runs short of what we should have
scored," admitted Cheshire team manager Sandy Scrimgeour.
"284 is a good score, but with ten overs to go we still had
six wickets left and fancied getting 300. If we'd have done that
it could have been a different story."
Hyde all-rounder Dan Berry impressed with a 3-33 return as Cheshire
fought hard in the field, while Oulton Park seamer Rick Moore
- in for the injured Macclesfield bowler James Hawley - impressed
with two wickets on his debut for the first team.
Oxfordshire still had plenty of work to do after Cheshire ended
an eighth wicket partnership of 60. But from 253-8 the visitors
held their nerve to score the remaining 32 runs they needed for
victory.
Scorecard:
Cheshire 284-9, 50 overs (A Hall 72, W Goodwin 46, D Leech 42,
J Duffy 37)
FOW: 69, 124, 124, 203, 227, 227, 242, 254, 261
Oxfordshire 285-8, 48.3 overs (D Berry 3-33, R Moore 2-67)
FOW: 54, 83, 97, 97, 133, 176, 193, 253
Result: Oxfordshire (2pts), who won the tos, beat Cheshire (0pts)
by two wickets
Cheshire team: Danny Leech (Oulton Park), Warren Goodwin (Chester
Boughton Hall), Andy Hall (Bramhall, captain), Ben Spendlove (Oulton
Park), James Duffy (Hyde), Nathan Dumelow (Oulton Park), Jason
Whittaker (Alderley Edge), Matthew Dawson (Bramhall, wicketkeeper),
Daniel Berry (Hyde), Adam Syddall (Bowdon), Rick Moore (Oulton
Park). 12th man: Hamish Dunlop (Chester Boughton Hall). Scorer:
Jim Law.
Cheshire are kindly sponsored by therightmovearoad.com and AB
Nutrition Ltd.
CHESHIRE have named an unchanged side
ahead of this Sunday's MCCA Knockout Trophy clash with Oxfordshire
at Christleton Cricket Club.
Last season's quarter-finalists started their season with a welcome
50-over away win against Cumberland towards the end of last month.
And Andy Hall's team will be looking to build on that victory
to cement their position at the top of the Group One qualifying
table.
Hyde
bowler Tom Young missed out on selection with a groin injury,
so Macclesfield seam bowler James Hawley - who made his first
team debut against Cumberland - makes his second start for the
county.
"We started the season with a win, but we're looking for
a much better batting performance," revealed Cheshire team
manager Sandy Scrimgeour.
"We were in trouble against Cumberland and did well to get
past 200 runs. The players know we have got to bat better than
that.
"But all credit to them because we bowled and fielded very
well to win the match."
Last season Cheshire were surprisingly beaten by Oxfordshire when
they clashed in the MCCA Knockout Trophy at Great Kew.
Batting first Cheshire struggled to 178 all out, skipper Andy
Hall the county's top-scorer with a spirited 52.
But Oxfordshire cruised to a six-wicket victory with nearly 12
overs to spare.
And so it's little surprise Hall and his team are looking for
an improved performance this time around.
"We didn't do ourselves justice with the bat when we played
them last season," reflected Hall.
"But that was last season, we've started with a win this
year and we'll be looking to build on that performance.
"We got to the final of this competition a couple of years
ago and then slipped up against Devon in the quarter-finals last
season.
"It's a competition we've always wanted to win, I'm confident
we can have a good run this year."
Cheshire team: Danny Leech (Oulton Park), Warren Goodwin (Chester
Boughton Hall), Andy Hall (Bramhall, captain), Ben Spendlove (Oulton
Park), James Duffy (Hyde), Nathan Dumelow (Oulton Park), Jason
Whittaker (Alderley Edge), Matthew Dawson (Bramhall, wicketkeeper),
Daniel Berry (Hyde), Adam Syddall (Bowdon), James Hawley (Macclesfield).
12th man: Ollie Hall (Chester Boughton Hall). Scorer: Jim Law.