Elworth 149/5 beat Leycett 147/9 by five wickets

Elworth 23 points, Leycett 5

There must have been times this summer when Elworth's professional, William Mashinge, wondered if he was ever going to get a substantial score.

Half a dozen times he was smoothly into the twenties only for disaster to strike in one form or another. His best score, before his match-winning innings of 97 last Saturday, was 40 not out in a losing cause when Hem Heath visited London Road in May.

A number of times he has shown his quality without delivering the quantity, but here he delivered both. Leycett had set Elworth a gettable 148 but had, through the excellent Matt Johnson and Andrew Cooper, demonstrated a determination to make 148 ungettable, and had the Foxes 15/3 with Alex Banks (3), Ryan Sloan (0) and Ash Rogers (6) all back in the clubhouse after just eight overs.

Mashinge, in second wicket down, was joined by skipper Russ Ballard and the pair plugged the leak before gradually gaining the ascendancy.

Mashinge dominated proceedings and began to hit with more freedom than has been customary. He took 11 off an over from Cooper including two classical off drives to the boundary.

When Tom Lawton replaced Cooper at the Railway End his first over went for 21 as Mashinge really got into his stride.

The first of the five boundaries in the over was an astounding shot, square on the offside, which can only be described as the ball being thrashed to the rope.

Mashinge was airborne when he hit the ball, it is hard to recall a ball hit harder since the days of Ian Mitchell.

The fifth boundary of the over saw the 50 partnership raised, the Zimbabwean had scored 43 of them.

Ballard was, in many ways, the perfect foil, a calming influence as the professional cut loose. The longer the innings went on the more freedom was evident in Mashinge's play.

It was dispiriting for Leycett as off drives somehow sped between converging fielders, often extra cover and mid-off, and raced away.

When the partnership had reached 90 Ballard was bowled by Johnson for 13. Johnson, the Leycett captain, had brought himself back along with fellow opening bowler Cooper when the score had reached 99/3.

At 105 Ballard fell shortly followed by Ed Parrish who, with the score 107, was run out after a mix up between the batsmen.

Joe Stephenson back in the team for the absent Chris Regan immediately looked secure. He has been batting well in the second XI and brought his form with him.

With 41 required, although the Foxes were favourites, the match was poised as Johnson and Cooper tried everything. Mashinge and Stephenson ran some singles which had spectators peeping through their fingers, but they are both very quick and came through unscathed.

As the target drew closer it became apparent that if he survived Mashinge would be close to 100 although there would barely be enough runs required to allow him to reach the landmark.

In the 36th one incident underlined his priority being the team's victory. An on drive towards the carpark was a comfortable two which would have seen him with two balls to face and 11 required.

Instead of the comfortable two he motored to turn it into three, running to the danger end.

In the following over he took a single to move to 91 with nine required, Stephenson hit boundary and in the next over Mashinge hit his first six for Elworth off Dan Redfern who was called on to bowl what turned out to be the final over. The Foxes were home and dry.

Earlier in the day Leycett choose to bat on winning the toss but lost David Speakman, whose last two innings had been 44 and 57, to Chris Winter who opened the bowling from the London Road End.

Mike Holt was his usual miserly self from the Railway End his 11 overs going for just 12 runs. He bowled opener Tom Warburton for 15 with the score on 33 after 19 overs.

It was the introduction of Steve Morgan that put the skids under Leycett although first there was a 41-run partnership between Dan Redfern and Chris Sheperd. Few risks were taken as the pair applied themselves diligently.

It was interesting cricket as generally well controlled bowling and fielding was punctuated with boundaries and some well-judged running.

There was relief in the Elworth crowd when Steve Morgan had Sheperd caught by Ed Parish at long on. Mike Stewart then bowled a tight maiden to Redfern and in the next over Morgan bowled Rajpal Beniwal for 0, then had Johnson LBW first ball.

Chris Johnson survived the hat-trick ball. He went on to score 13 and added 37 for the sixth wicket with Redfern. But Morgan had the bit between his teeth, he had Johnson caught at the wicket by Sloan and in the next over Winter bowled Lawton for three.

From 116/7 Redfern and Lee Jervis took the score to 140 before Redfern became Morgan's fifth wicket caught by Banks at deep mid-wicket for 50, his fourth of the season.

Two balls later Morgan had Cooper caught at backward point by Rogers for 0. Jervis took five more off Russ Ballard's third over to end the innings at 147/9.

Morgan finished with 6/36, his best figures of 2021. Winter 2/25 and Holt 1/12 were the other wicket-takers. The value of Elworth's win was enhanced by Hem Heath's one run loss at Sandyford where they were all out for 112 chasing 113 and Knypersley's four wicket home loss to Audley.

This now gives the Foxes, on 249 points, and 22-point advantage over Hem Heath with Knypersley 27 behind. Eccleshall remain fourth on 215. This Saturday Elworth travel to Hem Heath (12:30).

The Elworth 2nd XI won by 121 runs at Barlaston in Division Four, having scored 223 from their 40 overs. Will Happe top scored with 95. He and Matt Yardley (38) put up 99 for the first wicket at five an over.

Sam Baldwin and Happe added a further 90 before the latter was bowled by Leigh Matthews. Baldwin was also bowled by Matthews for 50. James Holt finished 22 not out.

The home side was never in contention as Alexander Mackey and Isaac Austin once again removed the top order. Austin taking two of the first three and Mackey the other. Apart from Dan Majer's battling 43 the Swans were largely undone by Foxes skipper Tom Seabridge's 5/32.

Austin finished with 2/13, James Yates 2/33 and Mackey 1/19. Elworth, on 221, lead Division Four by 10 points with Porthill Park second, Newcastle third on 206 and Bignall End on 203. This Saturday Elworth 2nd XI host Silverdale with a 1pm start.

On Sunday Elworth's 3rd XI won a vital away match against promotion rivals Lindow. The match featured a tremendous century for Joe Hodson, his second of the summer, whose 104 matched his 104 against Bowden in June. Hodson and Matt Greasby (32) put 119 up for the first wicket as the Foxes set off in pursuit of 231 from 40 overs.

The openers raced along at 6.6 an over which really set the victory charge. Hodson was out after adding a further 56 with Ryan Hudson (36).

The issue tightened thanks to some good bowling, but skipper Ryan Johnston struck the winning boundary to send Elworth 10 points clear with five to play in Cheshire County League 3rd XI Division Two.

When Lindow batted, reaching 230/9 Adam Copnall took all seven wickets that fell to the bowler. There were two run outs to accompany Copnall's 7/31.

The 4th XI featuring several under 13's and under 15's lost to Haslington by seven wickets.

This weekend the 3rd team is on the road again this time travelling to Ashton on Mersey. The 4ths host Prestbury starting at 2pm.