Elworth 118 all out beat Barlaston 70 all out

By 48 runs

Elworth 21 points, Barlaston 5

North Stafford South Cheshire League Premier B

Elworth's fine start continued at Barlaston last Saturday, with a 40-run win. This sort of winning streak at the beginning of a season is not that common, but the Foxes have had good starts, in 2016 they won the first seven completed fixtures, there were two abandonments and a washout in the first ten weeks that year. Twice in recent times Elworth have won the first four, there is nothing like early success to establish momentum.

Alex Banks lost the toss and Elworth found themselves batting, in the first over Banks, facing Rory Jones, pulled a ball from off stump which raced to the mid-wicket boundary.

In the second over Jack Davies strayed onto Joe Stephenson's pad and the Foxes wicket-keeper whipped it away behind square leg to the rope, this looked promising. In Jones' next over Banks again pulled strongly, down on one knee, which reminded watchers of riper years of Rohan Kanhai, if that's not too extravagant a comparison.

Proceedings settled down with Barlaston skipper, Davies, taking himself off and introducing off-spinner Fida Hussain into the attack.

At 45 Hussain made the breakthrough, luring Stephenson, on 18, into hoisting a catch to Davies at mid-wicket. Debutant Araash Raheja, who previously played for Buckingham Town CC, was off the mark with a back foot push into the covers for two off Hussain.

He then got four with a classical cover drive off the returning Davies but was trapped LBW by the same bowler for six, leaving Elworth 52/2 from 12 overs. Sam Baldwin, making his first appearance in the 1st XI this year, hit a boundary through the covers off Davies in good style, then took another off Hussain through mid-wicket before the Swans' spinner bowled him.

Ed Parrish and Banks had moved the score to 75/3, and a first batting point, when Hussain struck a double blow, bowling Parrish (0) and, with the next ball, Jarrod McKay (0). The Foxes serene start to the season meant they had faced few crises, but 75/5 certainly seemed like the beginning of one.

Hussain was enjoying a fine spell, a maiden to Harry Newton found him with 4/21 from seven economical overs. Matthew Myers slow left-arm did the next bit of damage, Newton caught by Ethan Squire, moving to his right from mid-on, for nought.

The spinners in tandem restricted Elworth to 20 for four from ten overs, yet Banks remained rock-like and reminded Myers that it wasn't all going his way with a crisp, no nonsense, boundary through the covers. Left hander Jake Spencer-Kellet, playing his first league game in the 1st XI carved a four over the slips off Davies when aiming to play a back foot push towards mid-wicket. Davies stood, hands on hips, disgusted, in the middle of the pitch.

Davies got his own back, but not until Spencer-Kellett had scored a second boundary this time much more correctly. A good looking off drive, close enough to straight for Banks to have to take evasive action as the ball raced past. This prompted a change in Davies' line, going round the wicket he was immediately rewarded, having Spencer-Kellett LBW for 8. Elworth, now 99/7, needed some heroics.

Ten runs later Banks, whose painstaking 47 had taken two hours, as chaos ensued around him, was bowled by Myers, 109/8. Steve Morgan joined Chris Winter and the pair scampered a single each off Myers before Winter pushed into the covers from two; he next cut Myers through gully for four. In the same over Myers had Winter LBW for a typically enterprising 16.

The innings was wrapped up, on 118, when Davies, still going round the wicket, had Morgan very smartly stumped by Sam Wilson for one.

Hussain finished with 4/23, Matthew Myers 3/24 and Jack Davies 3/35

Banks is currently proving to be the star turn for the Foxes, opening the bowling as well as the batting. He is certainly proving up to the task.

His run up is deceptively casual, even the arm doesn't appear to come over at a great rate of knots, but, with the score on five, Joe Beeston, opening for Barlaston, was defeated by a break back which clattered into the stumps.

In the next over with the score on eight, McKay, who does run in with purpose, had Brian Simms LBW for one. This was a valuable wicket. Simms played for several seasons at Hem Heath, had a season at Fenton and then settled at Barlaston in 2015. He has been a stalwart for the club and opponents' favourite view is of him departing for the pavilion.

Rory Jones found one from Banks drifting down leg side and helped it to the boundary. Hussain square drove Banks with a stroke that was all about arm strength, but Banks came back and got both Hussain and Jones LBW in the same over to leave the hosts 27/4. When McKay bowled Jon Taylor for five with the first ball of the next over the Foxes had taken three wickets in seven balls.

Ben Grange was the only man on the pitch who took part in the legendary promotion play-off match between Elworth and Barlaston which was played on neutral territory (Audley) in 2004.

He did not have a great day then nor did he have a good day here. Going in at 27/5 he managed two through the covers off Banks, he appeared to think it was going to the rope and was admiring his handiwork until his skipper, Davies, began running.

Two balls later Banks angled one in and Grange (2) got a leading edge as he tried to steer it into the leg side, Baldwin ran in to take the catch at short mid-wicket.

Davies, as he had been with the ball, was indefatigable for his team. He powered two boundaries through the off side in a McKay over, and then in Banks' next over hit hard and straight but saw the ball bounce short of the rope and only bring him four.

Two balls later he got another boundary through long off when he seemed to be shaping to play through leg and got a leading edge. This brought the 50 up, and Newton took over from McKay for the Foxes. Davies introduced himself by Newton with a straight six but Barlaston needed 58 to win with just four wickets in hand.

Davies would have to keep this up and receive sufficient support. Newton had been delivering his off spin around the wicket and had gone close when he and Stephenson both thought Davies was LBW. Now the bowler changed to over the wicket and immediately got a result, bowling Davies for 32. At 64/7 the home side had a mountain to climb although experienced Foxes watchers will be able to recall more than one occasion when, from such a position, Elworth have managed to lose.

Winter had replaced Banks and in his second over left Barlaston on the ropes. First, left hander Mason Bromley was caught at the wicket by Stephenson as he misread the spin.

Next ball saw Squire very well caught by that man Banks, a sharp slip chance to his left that came past Stephenson which must have impaired his view of the ball.

It was now just left for Newton to deliver the knockout blow knockout blow. Myers caught at slip by Banks for nought, and Barlaston all out for 70, 48 runs adrift. Banks finished with 4/30, Winter and Newton both took 2/8 and McKay 2/19.

This was an excellent fielding performance by the Foxes, catches were held, pressure applied. Defending 118 was not going to be straightforward however Elworth look sharp just now there is intent in all they do. It is shaping up to be highly competitive, with Cheadle, Norton in Hales and Bagnall Norton also three wins from three. Elworth are at home this Saturday against Ashcombe Park , Cheadle host Bagnall Norton, Norton in Hales travel to bottom of the table Alsager.

Meanwhile the 2nd XI lost to Moddershall 2nd XI by 94 runs. The visitors batted first and reached 194/8 from their 40 overs (Rob Bagnall 41*, Kamran Khan 38, Sam Wright 25*, Wallace Mubaylwa 3/23). Elworth finished on 100/7 (Maulik Bhalodiya 27*, Adam Taylor 23, Alfie Womble 2/15). Elworth gained 6 points, Moddershall 21.

This Saturday Elworth 2nd XI visit Sandbach 1st XI, Sandbach are 7th on 46 points and Elworth 9th on 39. The match starts at 12:30.