Weekend boost for Grappers

Both sides played some excellent cricket but the extra bit of quality told as influential skipper Lee Dixon dragged his side over the line.

In a match reduced to 10 overs a side, Grappers posted a decent 97 for 5 with Richard Green and young Albert Pennington enjoying some lusty blows.

Chester were up with the rate when in the sixth over the players were forced off due to the worsening weather.

Fortunately further play was possible as the conditions eased a while later and the remaining overs were bowled.

Some excellent bowling from Grappers pulled them right back into the match and going into the final over Chester needed 13 runs for the win.

The powerful Dixon held his nerve and saw his side over the line with one ball to spare.

However it was a weekend to boost morale for Grappers, who on Saturday took a winning draw at deposed leaders Toft in the Premier League.

Electing to bat first on a near-perfect wicket, despite the early loss of Adam Roylance, Grappenhall got off to an electric start almost entirely due to another virtuoso performance from Jimmy McCoy.

He dispatched Toft`s bowling to all parts in making 60 off 40 deliveries.

His knock included nine boundaries and one maximum, off his very first ball received.

He was ably supported by Albert Pennington, who continued his recent good form in putting together a classy 50 for his first senior half century until he fell at that same score.

Green meanwhile was batting somewhere near his best, and helped maintain Grappenhall`s momentum, and a good job he did, as the middle order contributed little.

He was out for a fine 73, the innings stuttered a bit, with only Liam Parkinson (17) and Alex Matthews (11) getting into double figures.

The innings closed in the 55th over at 272 all out, certainly a score Grappenhall would have taken from the start.

Toft got off to a slow start against a much-improved and disciplined Grappenhall attack, and it was Sam Guest who made early inroads into Toft`s powerful batting line up taking the first two wickets to fall, courtesy of a fine catch and superb stumping by Liam, 16 for 2.

Toft then gradually rebuilt their reply putting on 91 before the third wicket fell to the spin of Warwick Abrahim.

At this stage Gaz Burns was operating at the other end, and as wickets tumbled produced what was nearly a match-winning effort, taking 5 for 48 in 14 overs.

During this spell, Grappenhall`s faithful supporters witnessed two further outstanding catches by Liam behind the stumps.

However Toft negotiated the final 12 overs to hang on at 192 for 8 as Grappers claimed 14 points.

A winning draw and 14 invaluable points still leaves Grappers third from bottom and it means that Grappenhall`s next match against Cheadle is of vital importance.

THE Seconds lost at home to league leaders Timperley on Saturday.

They chased down Grappers' total of 205 inside their 50 overs to dent Grappenhall's hopes of promotion.

THE Thirds were rained off at home to Hyde with the match falling victim to the weekend’s poor weather.