Five early dropped catches did Grappenhall no favours

2:44pm Thursday 1st May 2008

GRAPPENHALL suffered their first defeat of the season at Bredbury in Cheshire County Cricket League Division Two.

A wicket that looked under prepared was to make batting extremely difficult but Grappenhall fielders helped Bredbury's cause early on by dropping five catches before the first wicket fell to a brilliant run out from Alan Brady with the score on 40.

Grappenhall did go on to make the necessary inroads with Neil Titchard taking two wickets for 23 runs and cousin Steve Titchard bagging two for 65 off 20 overs, including two spectacular caught and bowled scalps.

In reply, with Grappenhall chasing 168 for 6, they lost the wicket of last year's leading run scorer Richard Green in the first over - the first of six to fall to Raja.

Grappers wickets fell quickly and they suddenly found themselves on 59 for 8 with 22 overs remaining.

Captain Steve Titchard remained and was joined by cousin Neil Titchard to take the score to 114, leaving Grappenhall needing 54 runs from eight overs to pull off an unlikely victory.

But Neil Titchard was dismissed for 29 and it was left to Steve Titchard and 16-year-old Bradley Angel to try and hold on for a draw.

With only two overs left Angel was dismissed, leaving Steve Titchard unbeaten on 56.

Grappenhall's second XI drew with Oulton Park at Broad Lane on Saturday.

The visitors struggled to get any momentum against the accurate Grappenhall attack and took the maximum 55 overs to score 178, leaving Grappenhall only 45 overs to bat.

The pick of the bowlers was Sam Guest with 4 for 31 from his 11 overs, assisted by two wickets apiece for the consistent Seed and Titchard.

After losing Roylance in the first over, club chairman Dave Nicholson and Dean Langhorne took the attack to the bowlers and entertained the crowd to an exhibition of stroke-making with a blistering 80-run partnership.

When they were both dismissed the Grappenhall response fell away and they had to settle for a draw at 124 for 8.