Cheshire v Wiltshire CCC – MCCA Championship

At Alderley Edge CC  on Sun/Mon/Tues 11/12/13 July 2004

Cheshire won toss – Match Drawn - Cheshire 10 pts Wiltshire 9 pts

Wilts 1st Wilts 2nd
K.R.Blackburn lbw Pennett 27 c Spencer b Pennett 1
O.L.Smith b Whittaker 7 b Jones 28
S.B.Rizvi c Spencer b Pennett 39 no 72
R.J.Rowe (capt) c Spencer b Jones 13    
M.S.Coles c Twigg b Archer 30 c Spencer b Fisher 9
R.D.Bedbrook lbw Fisher 39 b Fisher 10
J.Hibberd c Whittaker b Jones 67 b Fisher 33
T.N.Shardlow (wk) c Leech b Fisher 18    
K.J.Nash b Jones 0 c Archer b Jones 60
J.P.Searle b Fisher 4    
J.Ashford-Brown no 0    
 

Extras

26   Extras 33
 

Total

270   Total (6 wkts) 246

 

Cheshire Bowling 1st Cheshire Bowling 2nd
  O M R W O M R W
D.B.Pennett 25 4 88 2 10 6 16 1
S.J.Renshaw         9 3 23  
D.Jones 10.3 1 58 3 10 1 42 2
R.W.Fisher 31 14 48 3 22.2 7 91 3
J.P.Whittaker 21 7 62 1 9 2 38  
G.F.Archer 2   5 1 2   21  
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheshire 1st Innings 2nd Innings
S.A.Twigg c Smith b Nash 4 lbw Hibberd 81
D.N.Leech c Shardlow b Coles 29 b Searle 23
G.F.Archer lbw Ashford-Brown 69 c Blackburn b Hibberd 12
J.Duffy c Smith b Coles 2 no 16
A.J.Hall (capt) c sub b Searle 9 c Ashford-Brown b Hibberd 3
S.J.Renshaw  b Ashford-Brown 11 lbw Hibberd 4
J.P.Whittaker no 70 no 7
D.Jones c Shardlow b Bedbrook 30
D.B.Pennett
I.S.Spencer (w)
R.W.Fisher
 

Extras

12

Extras

19

 

Total (7 wkts)

236

Total (5 wkts)

165

 

Cheshire  Bowling 1st   2nd
  O M R W

O

M R W
Ashford-Brown 18 9 37 2 4   15  
Nash 13 4 38 1 3   15  
Coles 14 6 27 2 3 1 22  
Hibberd 5 1` 21   6 2 19 4
Searle 20 9 50 1 14 3 54 1
Rizvi 3   15 1   1    
Bedbrook 7.5 2 38 1 8 1 26  

 

By Neil Goulding

 
CHESHIRE drew with Wiltshire despite a valiant run-chase on the final day of action at Alderley Edge.
 
Having made a sporting declaration on the penultimate afternoon of play, Cheshire captain Andy Hall expected Wiltshire to leave his team a target of about 250 runs from 45 overs on the last day.
 
As it was, Wiltshire were never interested in a victory and set Cheshire a formidable total of 281 to chase from 45 overs.
 
"There was only one team interested in winning - and that was us!" said Hall. "I'm really disappointed in Wiltshire, they just didn't seem interested in getting any kind of result.
 
"The total they set was ridiculous. We forfeited trying to get another batting point in our first innings to keep the game alive. I should have made us bat on and got that extra point. Wiltshire just had no interest in winning."
 
Having been 7-1 overnight, Wiltshire finally declared at 246-6 with Robin Fisher (3-91) the pick of Cheshire's bowlers from 22.2 overs.
 
And despite facing a daunting total, Cheshire went after the runs. Opener Alexis Twigg rediscovered his form and smashed a brilliant 81, his half-century came off only 46 balls and included seven 4s.
 
Fellow opener Danny Leech made a patient 23, but a series of quick wickets dashed Cheshire's hopes of a victory and debutante James Duffy (16 not out) and Jason Whittaker (7 not out) safely batted out for the draw. Cheshire edged the points 10-9.
 
"Alexis (Twigg) batted really well and if he had stayed in, you never know, we could have gone on to win," added Hall, "but 281 was a big ask. We've tried really hard in this match and I've been pleased with the way the team have played.
 
"Jason Whittaker batted very well in our first innings and Danny Jones and Robin Fisher both bowled well, and Danny also got some useful runs. We've found the nucleas for a successful team.
 
"It's a real shame we couldn't win, but you can't do anything if only one team wants to win."
 
Cheshire meet Oxfordshire next in Banbury next month, followed by a home tie with Shropshire in the last of this year's matches at Chester Boughton Hall, also in August.
 
Cheshire: Andy Hall (captain, Bramhall); Danny Jones, Jason Whittaker, Danny Leech (Oulton Park); Dave Pennett, Alexis Twigg (Harrogate); Graeme Archer (Caythorpe); Simon Renshaw (Kibworth); James Duffy (Hyde); Ian Spencer (wicketkeeper, Widnes); Graeme Archer (Caythorpe). 12th man: Adam Wildig (Alderley Edge).

Minor Counties Championship - Western Division (Final day of 3, Alderley Edge Cricket Club).

Wiltshire 1st innings: 270 all out, 89.3 overs, 26 extras (Fisher 3-48, D Jones 3-58, Pennett 2-88, Hibberd 67, Bedbrook 39, Rizvi 39).
FOW: 37, 43, 92, 110, 169, 171, 243, 264, 268, 270.

Cheshire 1st innings: 236-7 declared, 80.5 overs, 21 extras (Whittaker 70 not out, Archer 69, D Jones 30, Leech 29).
FOW: 5, 73, 83, 113, 116, 137, 236.

Wiltshire 2nd innings: 246-6 declared, 62.2 overs, 33 extras (Fisher 3-91, Rizvi 72 not out, Nash 60, Hibberd 33).
FOW: 3, 112, 135, 161, 223, 245.
 
Cheshire 2nd innings: 165-5, 35 overs, 19 extras (Twigg 81, Leech 23, Hibberd 4-19).
FOW: 116, 124, 134, 138, 139.
Result: Match drawn. Cheshire 10pts, Wiltshire 9pts.
 

Day 2 - 

By Neil Goulding

CHESHIRE have given themselves a fighting chance of victory against Wiltshire on the last day of their Minor Counties Championship Western Division tussle at Alderley Edge.

Jason Whittaker and Graeme Archer shone with the willow as Cheshire fought back from a precarious position on the second afternoon of play at Moss Lane.

Whittaker, the Oulton Park all-rounder, made a defiant unbeaten 70 - his first 50 for his county - and Archer, Cheshire’s new signing from Staffordshire, scored an excellent 69 as the hosts recovered from 137-6 to post 236-7 declared.

That left Wiltshire to bat out six thankless overs at the end of the day. Cheshire took full advantage by claiming the prize wicket of one of Wiltshire's openers, Dave Pennett the wicket-taker.

Earlier, Wiltshire had managed to add an additional 93 runs to their overnight total of 177-6, despite wickets for Robin Fisher (3-48), Danny Jones (3-58) and former Nottinghamshire paceman Pennett (2-88).

Cheshire started brightly in their reply and thanks to a second wicket partnership of 68 runs between left-hander Danny Leech (29) and Archer, were comfortably poised at 73-1, until Leech was caught behind.

Wickets kept falling, including that of Archer, who can probably deem himself unlucky with his LBW dismissal.

But courtesy of Whittaker’s courage and an important support role from Jones (30), Cheshire clawed their way back into the contest and have every chance of victory on the final day.

A view echoed by Cheshire skipper Andy Hall, who is looking for his team to chase whatever target Wiltshire set on the final day. Hall hopes in the region of 250 from 50 overs, but he admits it will be tough going if they are going to win

“Hopefully we can blast a few early wickets and dismiss Wiltshire cheaply on the last day (today)," said Hall.
 
"There's 102 overs left to play, so I expect Wiltshire to set us a tough target to chase in about 50 overs or so.
 
"We could have had a lead, but a middle-order collapse slowed us down and, in the end, I decided to make a sporting declaration.
 
"We want to try and win the game. We don't want a draw, we want a positive result."
 
Cheshire chairman Gerry Hardstaff was happy with the progress his county made, but admitted their fortunes had been a little hairy at one stage.
 
"Jason (Whittaker), Graeme (Archer) and Danny (Jones) all batted very well and got us out of a mess," admitted Hardstaff.
 
"Jason and Danny did particularly well because we were in a tricky situation, but overall it's been a reasonably successful day.
 
"We let Wiltshire get too many runs, probably 30-40 more runs than they should have done, but we got close to their total and then got an important wicket at the end of the day.
 
"I expect us to chase around 250 if we are going to win the game. It's going to be an intriguing and exciting last day."

Cheshire: Andy Hall (captain, Bramhall); Danny Jones, Jason Whittaker, Danny Leech (Oulton Park); Dave Pennett, Alexis Twigg (Harrogate); Graeme Archer (Caythorpe); Simon Renshaw (Kibworth); James Duffy (Hyde); Ian Spencer (wicketkeeper, Widnes); Graeme Archer (Caythorpe). 12th man: Adam Wildig (Alderley Edge).

Minor Counties Championship - Western Division (Day 2 of 3, Alderley Edge Cricket Club).

Wiltshire 1st innings: 270 all out (Fisher 3-48, D Jones 3-58, Pennett 2-88, Hibberd 67, Bedbrook 39, Rizvi 39).
FOW: 37, 43, 92, 110, 169, 171, 243, 264, 268, 270.

Cheshire 1st innings: 236-7 declared (Whittaker 70 not out, Archer 69, D Jones 30, Leech 29).
FOW: 5, 73, 83, 113, 116, 137, 236.

Wiltshire 2nd innings: 7-1.
FOW: 5.

Cheshire won the toss and elected to field.

DAy 1 - CHESHIRE'S BOWLERS LEAVE WILTSHIRE WITH PLENTY OF WORK TO DO 

 
By Neil Goulding
 
CHESHIRE's bowlers took a firm hold of proceedings on the opening day of their three-day Minor Counties Championship Western Division clash with Wiltshire at Alderley Edge.
 
Having won the toss and elected to bat, Andy Hall's team remained focused throughout two intriguing rain-interrupted sessions to leave the visitors precariously poised at 177-6 at the close of play and with 22 overs of their allotted 90 overs left to bat.
 
Former Nottingham paceman Dave Pennett led the way with 2-55 from 17 overs while Jason Whittaker, Danny Jones and left-arm spinner Robin Fisher also bowled very well with a wicket each.
 
The big surprise, however, was when makeshift bowler Graeme Archer, Cheshire's new signing from Staffordshire, came on at the death to claim the prize scalp of Wiltshire's Michael Coles, who had batted patiently for 30 until he was caught as gulley.
 
Play only got underway in the early afternoon after heavy overnight rain had left the Moss Lane pitch saturated.
 
But it didn't take Cheshire long to make in roads when they were given the chance to attack the opposition in the middle.
 
"All our bowlers bowled well, especially after tea," praised Gerry Hardstaff, the Cheshire chairman, whose side are well-placed in fifth position in the Western Division.
 
"We thought the wicket would do a lot, but it surprised us because it has played well. The wicket was firm but damp, so we expected it to be tricky to bat on, particularly early on."
 
Hardstaff is hopeful Cheshire can now contain Wiltshire to a score in the region of 200-225 runs, but "even less if we can".
 
"Ideally we'd like to bowl them out for under 200," added "but it will be equally as important to bat well. We need to keep it tight for Wiltshire's remaining overs and hopefully dismiss them cheaply.
 
"We are not in a bad position. The game is quite evenly poi