Senior Cricket Round-Up - June 2024
Following a busy month of league and cup action, the 1st XI sit 6th in the GMCL Championship and have bagged themselves a Quarter Final v Heywood in the T20 competition.
After a 1st of June defeat at home to Saddleworth, the 1s bounced back with a comfortable win away at Edenfield. Batting 1st, Mottram set 176 courtesy of a hard-fought 45 from Stefan and 35 from Liam Tongue. Edenfield’s chase never really got going with Charlie Stafford and Skipper Ollie removing the top 4 quickly and cheaply.
Danny Brightmore carried on where they’d left off, with his 3 for 11 helping us race through the Edenfield line-up and dismiss them for 85.
Any hope of carrying that momentum into the double weekend was dashed by absolutely loads of big rain that caused abandonments on both Saturday and Sunday.
A massive shoutout though to John Birch for organising the Ex-Players and Members Reunion on the Saturday for the game v Greenfield. Whilst the rain stopped any play happening, it didn’t dampen the fantastic atmosphere in the club-house. A really good addition to the calendar.
Saturday 22nd brought a dogged affair at Austerlands where 116 was enough to see the hosts home, by 9 runs. Lewis Daniel (3 for 16) and Danny (3 for 32) looked to have done significant damage when bowling out Austerlands for under 120. However, early wobbles showed it wasn’t an easy chase. Liam (47) and Stefan (20 off 95) looked like they were going to see us over the line but a late 4-fer ran through MCC and saw us fall short.
The final Saturday of June saw Bury visit the Sapphire Accounting MCG. The visitors won the toss and elected to field. At 30 for 2 that looked a good decision but another fine innings from Liam Tongue (65) and an explosive 45 from Liam Wright saw Mottram reach 247. In response, Bury reached 195 all out with Captain Oliver Andrew leading the Mottram wicket charge, his 5 for 45 ensuring victory on the final Saturday of the month.
The 2nd XI ended May well and they took that momentum into the first half of June. A trip to Droylsden was completed in double quick time, in large part thanks to Harry Moore’s 5 for 27 which left the home team in disarray. Paul Marks helped himself to 3 for 8 too, leaving Droylsden all out for 56.
This type of chase normally scares the 2nd XI but Ayrton Fielding (28*) and Paul Marks (21) ensured we got over the line with uncharacteristic ease.
A week later back at the MCG, another successful but much less serene chase. Saddleworth were restricted to 146 for 3, with Paul taking 2 for 35 and the whole attack bowling tight lines to go at no more than 3 an over(ish).
In response, Chairman Beech (28), Captain Phil (39) and Keeper Faz (38) looked like they were bringing the game home drama free.
That is until we collapsed from 133 for 3 to 133 for 7. To the rescue? Will Davis (10*) to sneak the 2s over the line.
A tough old day against Friends Sporting 1s on 22nd June saw a heavy defeat before a trip to Denton CC saw us fall 60 runs short. Luke Gray (35) and Phil Rowston (42) batted well but without much long-term support at the other end. The 2s finish June in 8th in Division 4E.
The 3rd XI end June sitting 3rd in Sunday Division 2E, just three points off top. After successive wash-outs ended May prematurely, they weren’t back in action until 9th June.
Facing Rochdalians at home, the 3s had the visitors 88 for 4 at drinks and were sitting pretty courtesy of a miserly but effective 1 for 19 off 10 from Mathew Harrop. The 2nd 20 overs saw Rochdalians hit the accelerator and reach 172 for 9 from their 40 overs. It could have been more but their momentum was stalled by a 3fer for Sam Smith and 2fer for Jibin Anthony.
In response, Mathew’s run a ball 40 at the top of the order got us off to a flyer, before the loss of Sam Smith (8), Adam Fitton (20) and Will (6) in quick succession saw us stalling at 85 for 4.
A vital, watchful 19 off 63 from Dan C helped us rebuild the chase and Sam Bennett (43*) and Jibin (a breezy 20) took us to victory with 8 balls to spare.
A week later, the 3s won at home soil again. This time, Milnrow fell victim to a Sam Smith special, his first ever 5fer (5 for 9) rolled them out for 95. Mathew (44) and Dan (48*) made light work of the chase as they hit 15 boundaries between them to knock it off in 12 overs.
The final week of June was a busy one with two fixtures in 5 days. A Tuesday T20 at Shaw was a truly ludicrous, see ball hit ball affair. Shaw hit 212 from their 20 overs. A majestic 80 from Dan C and a rapid 56 from Skipper Sam brought us hope but we fell 30 short.
Finally, an away trip to Failsworth Macedonia. Having been set 175 to win, Sam Smith (82* off 41) and Adam Fitton (62* off 37) launched a relentless attack on the home side’s bowling to knock it off in 18 overs.
The 4th XI’s four games in June saw plenty of positives, but a search for a 1st league win goes on. Facing Dove Holes at The MCG, 2fers for James Starr and Stephen Scott saw us keep Dove Holes to 138. In response, Dan C (47) and Sam B (28) took us close to victory but their wickets at unfortunate times left the lower order with too much to do and we fell 8 runs short.
At Stalybridge we were asked to bat first in light drizzle and despite starts for Dave Burns (14) and Jack Buxton (18) our 88 never looked enough. Jack (2 for 8) and Mitchell Wood (1 for 27) took early wickets to cause a scare but a middle order partnership of 50 saw Stalybridge over the line.
At Marple, wickets for Mitch (1 for 9), Dan Dadge (1 for 25) and Jibin (1 for 17) restricted Marple’s early momentum and saw them set 160. With Chris Green-Buckley (30) and Jibin (30) seeing us reach 78 for 2, it seemed the chase was on. Dan (10) and Henry (12*) showed good resistance but ultimately we were 30 runs short.
A similar tale too at Whaley Bridge. On a belter of a wicket, Whaley Bridge set 199, with Stephen Scott (3 for 37) and Mitchell (2 for 17) the pick of the bowlers. Jack Buxton (28) and Charlie Green (23) struck up a fine partnership to have us going well, before Whaley’s bowlers took the game away from us. 142 our final score.
The Women’s Team started June badly with the unfamiliar surrounds of Birch Vale and some calamitous running conspiring to send us to defeat v Chapel. Fixtures against two of the league’s most-fancied sides followed next, Buxton away and Old Glossop at Home. Against Buxton, a fine 2fer for Imogen kept us in the game but we lacked batting firepower and fell 18 short. A similar story v OG too, as we fell 9 short.
There was plenty of positive signs though and we took those into our cup quarter-final with Charlesworth 1st XI at the MCG. One of the founder members of the softball league, Charlesworth have a strong, experienced side and we’ve been on the wrong end of a few hidings since 2022.
This time though, a high-quality affair saw Mottram flip-flop from a winning position to a losing position and then back again on multiple occasions. Rachel Bradburn’s 3 catches behind the sticks curtailing Charlesworth’s momentum at key times. With nerves jangling, Mottram got over the line by a margin of 3 runs. A phenomenal effort that sees the Women’s Team through to a semi-final v New Mills on 22nd July.
Fresh from that cup win the Women rounded off June with a comprehensive defeat of Chapel. A Sharon Norris 2fer, 35* from Annie and 26* from Imogen proving far too much for Chapel to handle. The Women’s Team end June in 5th in the league.
The Over 40’s record in June was played 3, won 2 as the change in weather brought a change in fortunes.
First up were Macclesfield who set MCC O40s a total of 105 to win. Thanks to 25* from CGB and Andy Willerton, plus a composed 24 from Nigel, MCC got home with 3 overs to spare.
Another win followed soon after, with Hadfield defeated by 4 wickets. Wickets for Nigel, Farrell, PGM and The Chairman restricted Hadfield to 129. Three batters (Nigel, Andy, PGM) reached their 25* for MCC to see us home with two overs to spare.
