Nantwich Cricket Club slumped to another heavy defeat as Ashley Davis ran riot at Whitehouse Lane.
The Neston CC quickie took seven wickets as the home side came up 95 runs short of a target of 209.
Only wicketkeeper Spencer Byatt (39) and lower order batsmen Scott Wardley (21) and Ollie Griffiths (21) put up any stern resistance as the visitors made it four wins out of four in the Cheshire County Cricket League.
It was a second loss on the spin for the Dabbers, whose top order batsmen are struggling to rediscover the sort of form that took the club to the final of the National Knockout at Lord’s last season.
Skipper Ray Doyle won the toss and elected to bowl first on what looked like a helpful track but Neston made light of the conditions to cruise to 170-3, with Matthew Strong (65) and Ali Chughtai (56) making half-centuries.
But Phil Stockton (3-35), Jason Foulkes (3-70), Mitchell Spencer (2-40) and Griffiths (2-40) stuck to the task and Neston were eventually bowled out for 209.
It seemed a reasonable target for the Dabbers to chase but Davis had other ideas, reducing Nantwich to 31-7 with the help of Christopher Dixon, who claimed the prize scalp of Luke Robinson.
Byatt, Wardley and Griffiths gave the home scoreboard an element of respectability but the outcome was never in doubt.
The 1st team’s reverse was part of a blank day for the club as both the 2nds and 3rds also lost.
Ben Mogg won the toss at Neston for the 2nds – choosing to field – and the Nantwich captain claimed five wickets as the home side were restricted to 209-8 from their 50 overs.
But despite Ben Jarvis making 46 and Philip Marsh 21, the visitors came up well short, finishing on 131 all out.
To complete a disappointing day, the 3rds were also soundly beaten at Moddershall & Oulton CC, even though Alan Chesters took six wickets after putting the home side into bat.
Only Sam Williams (25) and Noah Birchall (23) got going in the Nantwich reply, which came to an end with the visitors 90 runs shy of their target of 208.
The only Nantwich side to win over the weekend was the Sunday 3rd team and that was thanks mainly to a remarkable innings from Ricardo Rebelo, who made 140 out of the home side’s total of 215-7 from their 40 overs.
After Rebelo’s unbeaten knock, it was left to Noah Birchall to spearhead the response with the ball, taking 4-50 as Romiley CC were bowled out for 174.
Nantwich Vipers had a tough day at Didsbury, where only Grace Michell (12) and Madi Hudson (11) made it into double figures as the visitors were bowled out for 67.
Michell, Ada Christopherson and Beth Hughes then took a wicket apiece but Didsbury got home with seven wickets in hand.
On Saturday, the 1sts have an away fixture at Oxton with the 2nd team entertaining the same opposition at Whitehouse Lane (midday start).
The Saturday 3rd team is away at Endon while the Sunday 3rds go to Alderley Edge.
(Images courtesy of Graham Pearson)
Recent Comments