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Alderley Park CC 1st XI vs Wirral CC 1st XI - Match Preview

Alderley Park CC 1st XI vs Wirral CC 1st XI - Match Preview

Matt Garrett19 May 2016 - 11:00
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Wirral travel to Alderley Park on Saturday to avenge last weeks narrow loss...

Alderley Park CC vs Wirral CC

Saturday 14th May 2016
by Noddy Holder

Wirral will be licking their wounds following a first loss of the season. Our fifth game takes us on the road again, this time to Alderley Park CC. Disappointment may be the initial raw feeling after last week, but this is soon overshadowed with pride when reflecting on the fantastic efforts in defeat. Every player certainly left their all on the pitch during a second innings that saw Aston fall over the line with a final wicket partnership of 20 runs. You can’t ask any more than that; to ensure the batmen have to work for every run, every ball…and they certainly did. So credit to them for grinding out the win. The whole day also reminds us of our strength in depth as a squad. From a superb 47 from Henwood stepping up to salvage a total to defend, to Docherty saving many a run with committed fielding.
We have many positives to take to Alderley Park, including the continued great form in partnership of our opening bowlers.

The opposition:
Alderley Park have return a mix of results so far this campaign; with 2 wins, a loss and a draw. Struggling with the bat early doors they registered 99 for 6 to beat Sandbach in the opener. They were bowled out for 105 in the second vs Bunbury in what was their first loss of the season. However more runs have arrived the past 2 matches with 147/6 in a successful chase vs Appleton and 139/7 in the latest, which ended in a draw vs Wayfarers.
Alderley Park have only been exposed batting past 6 once and have ultimately collapsed, the key on Saturday is certainly to break what is consistently a solid opening batting partnership in Prime and Farmer but also could lay in us getting a 6th wicket which seems to offer resistance; a story we will be all too familiar with having seen Aston’s 6 plug the wickets and score the vital middle order runs.

Danger man:
…or is it ‘danger men.’ There are 3 clear players that have the early season form and influence to dictate a game. The danger with the ball comes primarily from opener Butterworth, who this season has already registered a 7 for and 5 for. Interesting in Park’s last outing they were without him and that saw the oppo register a monster 240. So our batsmen, particularly the openers, will need to up their game to see of this early new ball danger.
Park’s real danger with the bat – Farmer. Farmer has played every other this season and scored 50 in both. This form despite inconsistency in availability shows he has certainly picked up where he left off last season as one of the highest runs scorers last campaign. Unfortunately for us he missed last Park’s last match (draw) so is likely to be available Saturday. Our bowlers should already be thinking of the importance of his wicket. Though they have slumped to 99 with him in the opening game, the 2 innings in which Farmer was missing saw lower team totals so a big early breakthrough required in unsteadying that foundation the innings is built upon.
Prime too has only started 2 and only 1 real start but he is a batsman that generally will patiently stick in and has a fairly good record against. Getting the two openers who often set the foundation required for the remaining batsmen early will certainly be reflective of the final score.

Last Season:
Our first encounter last season saw the closest of finishes to end in draw. Posting 190 all out from 45, danger men Farmer (41) and Prime (60) got the notable runs and We in reply fell fractions short reaching 189 from 45 overs. Fletcher 5 for and Andy Slight 4 for the main damage with the ball. Noddy Holder hit 71 that day to set us on track for the chase and that was backed up by a couple of 30’s. But unable to see it through it fell to the middle/lower order who just fell short. Butterworth did the damage with the ball getting a 4 for.

Team News:
With Fletcher possibly missing Matt Garrett will be looking to take that role on continuing his good work with Kieran Morris this season. Andy Slight returns and Dave Henwood will be hoping his 47 in last week’s overall disappointment was enough to secure a restart. No other team news at this stage.

The form book shows us that breaking an early Alderley Park batting foundation is key but to then learn from last week that resistance later on is possible so to be ready for that and stay fired up throughout. Batsmen certainly need to get back to the pre-Aston form whilst cautiously approaching key bowler Butterworth. I first heard Bumble say Bounce-back-ability! Given result generally went our way last week allowing us to remain in the top 3, bounce-back-ability is the theme for us Saturday to get back to winning ways early! Our other opposition Saturday is the weather!

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