Malpas

MALPAS will be still looking nervously over their shoulders after they were beaten comfortably by Glazebury at Wrexham Road in the Cheshire Cricket League Division Four on Saturday.

Skipper Keith Rickett decided to give his visitors first use of the track and he would have been happy with his side's afternoon work when they bowled their visitors from Warrington out for just 139 inside 40 overs.

Star of the show was Jordan Roberts as he ripped through the Glazebury order to give his side a huge chance of victory, finishing with 6-39 from 13 overs while opener Adrian Waddelove chipped in with his usual contribution, finishing with 3-45 from his 14 overs.

Michael Rae completed the wickets with a fine run-out of number nine batter Nirpal Bansel.

Jordan Carroll's 47 from 690 balls was the pick of the visiting batters before he was caught behind by Rickett off Waddelove.

Dave Nicholson also weighed in with a crucial 21 before he too was caught behind, this time off Roberts.

But in reply, Malpas fell well short of their target despite a steady start from Rae and Rickett opening the innings.

Both men were trapped lbw by Sam Stanier, with Rickett scoring 10 and Rae 14, and from there, it was a nightmare afternoon for the Wrexham Road side.

Four of the top and middle order were out for single figures – scoring just three runs between them including two ducks – while Nathan Ackerley's counter-attacking 21 was too little, too late for Malpas who were eventually dismissed for 85 in the 22nd over.

Their tormentor-in-chief was Stanier as he finished with figures of 6-39 from 11 overs as Glazebury grabbed a win.

On Saturday, Malpas host Kerridge at 1pm.

Iscoyd & Fenn's Bank

ISCOYD and Fenn's Banks limp towards the end of the season continued as they were beaten away in a shocking performance to bottom side Church Stretton in the Shropshire Cricket league Division Four on Saturday.

The John Falkner Ground side are safe from relegation, on account of Church Stretton's previously poor season while Cae Glas have also struggled, but will be disappointed with how their summer has fizzled out.

Duncan Chaplin, once again standing in for the absent Duncan Wright, won the toss and gave his hosts first use of the track in the hope that Iscoyd would be able to bowl them out.

However, the home side – who have not hit triple figures for points so far – reached an imposing 25-9 in their 40 overs with a fine 63 from opener Saif Khalid setting the platform for the win.

He was eventually dismissed by Owen Silvester with Paul Gresty taking the catch.

He was given able support from number three bat Cameron Holtz but Silvester had trapped lbw for 47, three short of a deserved half-century while other opener Hamran Khalid was dismissed by Ray Dale for 29.

Iscoyd continued to plug away but the game was taken from them by number seven Edward Groom who fired a fine 43 to leave Iscoyd chasing 251 for victory.

Dale and Silvester both took three wickets apiece while there were two for Chaplin and one for Tom Wynne.

In reply, Iscoyd made a night mare start as both openers went cheaply – Chaplin for three and Ryan Jones for a duck – before Gresty followed, also for three.

Wynne fought back as he scored 46 not out but he soon ran out of partners as Iscoyd's middle order were wiped out by Saif Khalid (3-16) and it was only wayward bowling from the home side that gave Iscoyd's score an air of respectability as Stretton conceded 68 extras.

Groom finished with 2-25 while there was one each for Cian Iddison and Imran Khalid, with a run out.

On Saturday, the first XI host Acton Reynald and the second XI travel to play Welshpool's second XI.

Coton Hall

COTON Hall sat the weekend out in the Shropshire Cricket League Division Seven but will be looking to stay on the tails of the top two Llanidloes and Lilleshall.

Leaders Llanidloes are currently 19 points clear of their Shropshire rivals and another 12 clear of Coton Hall, whose upturn from their form in 2018 will give the club plenty of hope for 2020.

On Saturday, Shifnal's fourth XI will make the trip to outside Wem as Coton Hall aim to finish the season on a high – a 1pm start.

Ellesmere

ELLESMERE will more than likely need to win all four of their remaining games if they are to maintain their place in the Shropshire Cricket League Division One.

Tom Davies’s men were edged out by four wickets on Saturday as they lost on the road to Cound despite a half-century from Ashley Thomas.

Davies knew his side needed maximum points and he opted to set his hosts a target after winning the toss, but he would not have been happy with the start they made.

He was first man out as Ellesmere were 5-1, caught by Calum marsh for one off the bowling of Iwan Morgan, though he hung around for 16 balls.

Former skipper Jonathan Mitchell was next to go on 24-2 as he was caught by Graham Trow, also off Morgan’s bowling, while Tom Quraishi accounted for Fraser Duncan to leave the visitors 28-3.

That soon became 32-4 as Graeme Cowey was dismissed for an eight-ball duck and Felix Ashley followed soon after, with Marsh this time the wicket taker.

However, Ellesmere launched their counter-attack through Matthew Lawrenson as he scored 37 batting at number four, scoring five fours and one six from 67 balls before he was bowled by Marsh to leave them 105-6.

He shared a sixth-wicket stand with Max Smith, who eventually finished on 45 after he was bowled by Trow while Thomas then went on the attack with six fours and four sixes in a display of blistering hitting, taking 30 balls.

Ellesmere were eventually dismissed for 181.

In reply, Ellesmere made early inroads as Thomas took early wickets, but a third-wicket stand of 91 between skipper Jack Case and Pabel Kumar Saha was enough to set up Cound’s victory.

Case was first out of the pair when he was dismissed by Scott Lawrenson for 65 and Troy Newton eventually accounted for Saha for 60 before Cound eventually passed their target in their 43rd over.

The first XI host near neighbours Frankton on Saturday while the second XI travel to Quatt’s thirds.