This week we had a tough fixture against 2nd in the league Romiley who in the reverse fixture had pipped us to win by 2 wickets.

Currently sitting in 6th with some close losses against the top teams recently, hoping to get one over the line with every win vital with the league as close as it is.

A lovely won toss from the skipper (his 5th in a row he informed me) which was fairly vital on a damp pitch with a fair bit of green on top and overcast conditions.

We had a good idea on their game plan, which is a pretty attacking style which I’ll refer to as Rom-Ball. Let’s see if they can recreate that at the UCG on a sticky one…

They opened up with their 2 half centurions from the last game against us and took the game to from the off, nothing to wake you up like some attacking cricket from ball one.

After a couple of lusty blows including a six back over mid-offs head from Callum and a drop at square leg which could have proved costly, we had both of them removed and soon after that another wicket to see them under the cosh at 32-3. Callum swinging it miles and following up his 5fer a couple of weeks back taking all 3 of the wickets, bowled, bowled and snaffled by Mr. reliable Gary in the gully.

Sawda also bowled very well with his usually array of bamboozling deliveries which can prove to be too good at this level; however, they were rebuilding nicely with their left handed no.3 batting particularly well.

Then the stroke of luck we needed as Sawda tipped a drive back onto the non-strikers end and a suicide run an over later to remove the well-set lefty, to see them around 75-5.

On came Sam, fresh from his swashbuckling runs last week, surely licking his lips at the conditions. The batsman looking slightly concerned when the first one started outside leg and he just about leading edged it on off stump, the signal was given to the non-striker, it’s doing a bit. Sam toiled for quite a while and the field quickly moved from 5-4 to 7-2 in no time, the slip cordon now full and the offside set for catches. After riding their luck Sam finally got some reward and nicked off their number 7. The too often errant ball per over across the bowling attack kept their scoreboard ticking along, however.

Gary bowled tightly dismissing their number 6 which meant at 7 down they were in trouble…. Theres a reason they are 2nd however as their tail continues to score and take boundaries alongside ticking along.
Nathan bowled a very disciplined line and length ending with 2-13 off his 7 overs.

We took the final 3 wickets eventually but not before they had got themselves to 161, very respectful score.

It wasn’t going to be easy out there, but we had been assured that they were a few bowlers light, so in true 3rd team style we lost wickets at regular intervals. Charlie pumping one directly down a child’s throat (which he caught with his abdominal area) at deep square leg which left us 15-1.

Both Faz and Cal snicked off, fiddling about outside off and Matt walked into a straight one to be plumb in front and then George skied a full toss with a leading edge to cover.

We are in trouble…at 50-5… enter the Skipper and Sam Williams…..no, no better either…. They both also played horrific shots, Luke fiddling again and Sam giving some practise catching to mid-on. 70ish for 7 …90 needed, 3 wickets left.

The last 3 wickets all given away whilst Gav stood at the other end timing the ball better than anyone has seen since his double ton all those year ago at Heaton Mersey. He looked particularly happy that they had two spinners on which allowed him to pull out his much-loved sweep shot.

Romiley had worked their bowling well, managing to squeeze the majority of over between their 3 recognised bowlers and also bowled fairly tightly, getting their field correct and stifling both Sawda and Gav in the middle orders. Both of whom expertly knocked 1’s (obviously no 2’s) and the odd boundary.

Gav reached around 40 with only 1 single and rest to or over the ropes. An elegant wagon wheel resembling a spiders web as he hit 4’s to all parts. Sawda waited patiently for the balls he wanted and when they came, the lofted smash over extra cover came out 2-3 times whilst dispatching anything short over square legs head.

A big moment came when Gav was dropped at cover, a chance that would prove costly as he continues to put away errand balls and batted superbly for his 86*, with Sawda ending on 40* as the lads were home by 3 wickets with around 8 overs left.

You can’t buy experience. A great lesson for those coming before them about percentage cricket and waiting patiently for the right ball.

That win leave us 36 points behind Urmston (2nd) sitting in 5th place and 55 points off top. Promotion? Probably not, but who knows. Have to aim somewhere upwards!

Likewise 39 points from the drop and Oakmere (11th), with the entire league separate by 99 points, veery game will be essential.

We play Bottom Oulton Park (away) next week but who beat us earlier in the year, so we need a good performance to get closer to sealing our place in the league.