Cricket: Middleton beat Micklehurst to maintain winning run

Middleton Cricket Club

Micklehurst were the latest visitors to Towncroft to sucumb as Middleton retained their winning league run.

On a glorious sunny day Micklehurst captain Michael Blomeley won the toss and elected to have a bat and strode out to the crease alongside overseas professional Akil Greenidge.

Micklehurst made a slow but solid start against some tight bowling from professional Chris Williams and Mike Pritchard.

With the score on 17, Pritchard got the breakthrough with a ball that moved away from the bat and got a slight edge.It kept low to the ground where Grant Jones took a fine catch.

Batsman Blomeley could not believe the speed at which the catch had been taken and stood his ground for some time, before trudging back to the pavilion.

Rob Parsons didn't last long and with the score on 32 he was caught by Harry Gee off the bowling of Williams.

Stu Chameley came out to join Greenidge knowing he had to stick around and build a partnership with his colleague.

Greenidge was playing soundly with good defensive work and a couple of  fours, a style that had brought him to the attention of the young MCC selectors.

Middleton were keeping it tight, especially paceman Mike Pritchard who delivered several maidens who was looking to take his wicket haul for the season to the 40 mark. Eventually he forced the talented Greenidge to play on, with the ball hitting the wickets.

With the score on 44-3, Walker introduced Tom Rutter and spinner Steve McGuiness to the attack and it wasn't long before young Rutter made his usual impact. He had White caught and bowled and Gee took his second catch to remove Pearson leaving Micklehurst on 71 for 6.

It was left to Chameley to hang around and attempt to get the score into three figures. This he did with some lusty hitting as he hit four fours and the same number of sixes. One particular six hit a parked ice cream van that had just entered the ground to serve the supporters their cool refreshments. With the score on 97, the six just missed the spectators who were queuing for their ice creams, and the score went into treble figures. 

With the score on 114, and Chameley well set on 53, he attempted yet another six which spiralled skywards. Rather than arch to the boundary it simply went on a vertical path upwards above the square. As several players closed in to take the catch, bowler Chris Williams gave the shout and his safe hands took the catch.

At 114-7, Walker introduced spinners Foden and Jones together with seamer Tierney in an attempt to close out the game. However, it was professional Williams who cleaned up the tail end by claiming the last theee wickets to give him a five for 41, leaving Micklehurst 131 all out.

Mike Pritchard took two wickets for 21 runs off 10 overs.

It was never going to be enough a total to defend for Micklehurst especially with Lewis Daniel missing from the bowling attack.

So it proved, with Chris Williams and Harry Gee helping themselves to a faultless opening partnership of over a hundred. Finding the boundaries on twenty occasions.

Micklehurst captain, Blomeley, even turned his arm to no avail, as Middleton closed in on the total with only half the overs used up.

Chris Williams hit a glorious six before he was eventually caught off the bowling of Blomeley for 66 and up to that point he had never looked in any trouble.

This gave Middleton captain George Walker the chance to claim a quick 16 runs for himself.

At the other end, Harry Gee was cruising to a cultured 55 not out, including nine fours, to add to his three catches.

Middleton remain undefeated in the league with all the teams played apart from Milnrow, who they play next.