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Whit a game!

21/ 5/2008

Macclesfield 169, Alderley Edge 172-8 (Alderley Edge won by two wickets) - IN AN amazing game at Moss Lane last Saturday, Edge won by two wickets with one ball remaining at nearly 9.15pm, to go back to the top of the ECB Cheshire Premier League.

Due to persistent drizzle the match did not start until shortly before 4pm and was reduced to an 82-over contest with Macclesfield winning the toss and deciding to bat first.

The away side found it difficult to cope with Edge’s swing bowlers Jason Whittaker and Sohail Rauf, and there was a steady fall of wickets.

Macclesfield were indebted to Jason Knight, who scored a more-than useful 43, and Martin Tunwell, who made 30 not out.

However, it was the bowling of Whittaker that really took the eye, with a final analysis of 18.1 overs, two maidens, six for 39, making it 21 wickets so far this season in just five matches.

Macclesfield scored 169 all out in 43.1 overs, leaving Edge 38 overs to get the necessary runs.

Edge set off like a train, with openers Mark Currie and Alan Day racing to 69 without loss inside eight overs. However, the match suddenly turned towards Macclesfield, with wickets lost and a dramatic drop in the run rate. For Macc, Craig Melrose took five for 80, and skipper Barney Cutbill three for 67.

With tempers fraying a little on both sides, Whittaker, completed a man-of-the-match performance with 37 priceless runs, including 10 off the last over to snatch a dramatic victory for Alderley, in the gloom, at 9.12pm.

It was a fabulous game to watch and just rewarded for the spectators on an afternoon that was cold, dark and wet but was a tremendous advert for local league cricket.

Alderley were rewarded with 25 points for their efforts and, with the top two involved in a stalemate at Bowdon, go back to the top of the Cheshire County Premier league.

Next week Edge are away at Nantwich, who boast big-hitting Aussie star Glen Batticciotto in their ranks, and the Moss Lane club will be aiming to build on this morale-boosting victory.