Elworth 99 all out lost to Knypersley 144/8 by 45 runs

Former Elworth cricketer Tom Curry, now better known for his rugby, was a welcome visitor to the club last

Saturday, sadly the result was not what he would have been hoping.

Perhaps it was anticipation of success that turned Elworth heads, or perhaps that Knypersley arrived at London Road fired up for a game they had to win to retain a slither of hope in the promotion hunt.

Maybe it was a little of both, whatever it was the visitors were the

better side on the day although after Russ Ballard had won the toss and inserted them Knype's innings was not

going well and when Steve Morgan picked up both Arsalan Arshad Mir (8) and Muhammad Asad Afridi (0) in the

space of four balls to reduce them to 63/5 the Foxes could have been forgiven for thinking all was well with the

world.

When Ash Rogers, the part-timers' part-time bowler, came on and, in his first over, had Joe Dutton caught by

James Holt on the square leg boundary for 12 it was 89/6 and the tide was decidedly in Elworth's favour.

Not being able to teach an old dog new tricks doesn't matter if the tricks the old dogs have already mastered meet the

needs of the moment. Whilst Messrs Paul Goodwin and Jonathan Cumberbatch may not appreciate the parallel,

the principle is surely on the money.

Here were two veterans with over 900 games between them, coming

together in a crisis and proceeding to demonstrate the value of experience and cool heads. In the course of 12

overs they added 47 crucial runs, the winning margin was 45. The first 11 of these were all singles, spread across

almost eight overs, before Cumberbatch took a boundary off Rogers.

Although the pair never hesitated in taking a

single the boundary count rose with both players finding gaps in the field. Elworth seemed loose in the field were they are usually tight; there is something indefinable that marks out a

team on its game, it was not generally apparent for the Foxes on this occasion.

Even Steve Morgan's re-introduction at the London Road End, were he had earlier taken four wickets, did not disrupt Goodwin and

Cumberbatch. Cumberbatch took a single and then Goodwin a boundary and a single from the first over of

Morgan's second spell.

It was James Holt who ended the stand, with the score 136, he had Goodwin caught by Ballard for 39. It was

another excellent catch by Ballard fielding at short mid on and in the next over Morgan secured his fifth wicket

having Liam Hopkins LBW for nought.

The innings concluded shortly afterwards on 144/8 with Cumberbatch not out 21. Morgan returned 5/23, well deserved figures from 11 overs of controlled slow left-arm bowling.

He has now taken 52 league wickets at just over nine apiece, his best haul since returning to the club, and is a major

factor in the team's success.

Elworth opted for the heavy roller during the interval which suggested some questions in Ballard's mind yet, when

Alex Banks and Ryan Sloan began Elworth's reply it was not the pitch but two remarkable catches that set the

Foxes on the slippery slope.

With 11 on the board, Sloan was brilliantly caught and bowled by Afridi who hurt himself in the process, landing heavily on his right arm. Not long afterwards he was hurt again when he attempted

a caught and bowled off a fierce Ash Rogers drive.

The introduction of Liam Hopkins in place of Afridi, from the

London Road End, saw Knypersley tighten the screw and three successive maidens were sent down two, by

Arshad Mir and one by Hopkins, before the pressure told, and Rogers (8) holed out to Goodwin off Hopkins.

Worse was to come and at 33 Banks was LBW to Arshad Mir for 17.

Now came the second remarkable catch, Hopkins coaxed an edge from Mashinge (7), the ball flew fast at shoulder

height, seemingly past Sam Wilcox at second slip, but Wilcox thrust out a hand and the ball stuck, it was a

breath-taking moment and tipped the balance in Knypersley's favour.

Such a catch lifts a fielding side whilst the batting side, looking on, begin to think it isn't going to be their day. Knype had been vocal all afternoon, clearly fired up for the game. Wilcox also made the next telling intervention again showing sharp reflexes.

Arshad Mir had an LBW shout against Chris Regan turned down by umpire Malcolm Edge, the danger seemingly over Regan ambled out of his crease whereupon Wilcox at square leg scored a direct hit on the stumps before Regan could ground his bat. Umpire Robert Heath raised the finger of doom, 39/5.

More optimistic souls still held to the belief in a Foxes win, Ballard and Ed Parrish at the crease, James Holt, Chris

Winter, Steve Morgan and Mike Holt to come. Not too many weeks previously Winter and Morgan had added over

60 at Hem Heath, effectively saving the match.

The less optimistic contemplated of odds against the remaining

batsmen seeing out 28 overs for a draw and the other 95% of the Elworth followers consoled themselves by

setting an immediate target of 75 for a batting point.

Ballard and Parrish had actually begun to make a fist of it,

the latter hitting a boundary off Joe Dutton, who had replaced Arshad Mir, and then two more in Hopkins' next

over.

Suddenly it was 57/5 with 88 required. But even then fate was slipping the horseshoe into the boxing glove

and more disasters ensued.

Firstly, Ballard, on five, with an uncharacteristic waft outside off stump, gave promising young wicket-keeper

James Abbots his first catch of the day, and Dutton a wicket.

By now the Knypersley fielders were sounding like the

chorus from Aida preparing to welcome Radames and his triumphant warriors, who could blame them, Elworth

were 57/6. James Holt joined Parrish, the latter took another four off Dutton and hope flickered anew only to be

instantly dashed when Parrish was bowled for 14 by Arshad Mir.

Winter came in and shortly afterwards went out given caught at the wicket by young Abbotts for one, again Arshad Mir was the bowler. Morgan came in to join Holt.

A wide by Goodwin, who had come on at the Railway End, took the Foxes to 75 and a fifth point of the day. Morgan took two fours off Hopkins and Elworth were in the 90's, but the end was nigh. Holt was bowled by Hopkins for three, 94/9.

Mike Holt arrived at the crease with six needed for a sixth point, Hopkins bowled a wide which went to the

boundary and Elworth were 99, but before they reach 100 Morgan was out caught at short square leg by Wilcox

for nine off Cameron Allen's bowling. Knypersley had clinched a deserved win and picked up 23 points to Elworth's

five.

Elworth were bitterly disappointed with their performance on a day when they could have sealed promotion. It

was uncharacteristic but demonstrated the competitive nature of the division.

Any drop in form is punished if you are up against a side which is in the mood, as Knypersley were. The result gave Hem Heath the opportunity to leap-frog the Foxes into first place with a home win over Blythe.

The table shows that they lead on 322 points to Elworth's 319. Knypersley are third on 278, 41 points behind with 46 now available. The Foxes are away at

Newcastle this Saturday and finish at home to Eccleshall the following week. If they pick up six points, they are up whatever results Knypersley can achieve.

The Second XI won by seven wickets at Meir Heath. The home side chose to bat on winning the toss but could only muster 101/9 in the face of consistent bowling with Isaac Austin 3/28 leading the way.

Off-spinner Mike Stewart opened the bowling with Austin, and he picked up 2/10 from eight miserly overs (five maidens), Tom

Seabridge had 2/13. Connor Flowers 1/20 and James Yates 1/21 also struck. Wicket-keeper Joe Stephenson caught

both openers off Austin's bowling.

In reply Elworth had few difficulties, Joe Hodson (33), moved up to open in the absence of Matt Yardley, and Will Happe (23) put up 48 for the first wicket. Although Stewart (19) and Happe both

fell with the score 76, Stephenson (6*) and George Elliott (23*) saw the side to victory and another 18 points.

The Foxes are second behind Newcastle who are all but promoted and who Elworth host this Saturday. The following

week they travel to Bignall End, if they win both games, they are promoted whatever happens elsewhere. Elworth

have a 14-point advantage over Bagnall/Norton and Porthill Park with 36 points available. The match against

Newcastle this Saturday starts at 12:30 pm.

The 3rd XI, already crowned champions of the Cheshire County League 3rd XI Division 2, finished their season with

a 10 wicket win over Mobberley. This means that they have won 12 matches, two more than nearest rivals Lindow

and three more than Mobberley who finish third. Mathew Greasby and Joe Hodson have led the way scoring

heavily, with Ryan Johnston and Ryan Hudson also major contributors. Ben Morgan too, played some important

innings.

Will Lewis is the leading wicket-taker although Adam Copnall tops the averages. Next season the 3rd team will face tougher challenges in Division One, this will be extremely beneficial in the development of young cricketers as they progress from age group to senior cricket.