Youngsters step up to dispatch Marple.

With the skipper en route from Yorkshire, Griff was in charge in Chester and took the unusual step of bringing kit in an Aldi carrier bag which was all borrowed. An interesting move but had Tommy Evans not returned from Southern climbs, it would have been different. Arriving at Marple in glorious sun was a new experience for most but the ground looked marvellous and the wicket hard: a good contest in prospect. Winning the toss and bowling was underpinned by two things, firstly to have a look at how the pitch played and secondly to try and return Griff to the land of the living. No Metcalfs so Fishy and Joe Killer returned.
An all out pace attack to open the bowling? No Sam so the skipper gave himself the nod. Solid start with the ball and Wiggy blasting a couple out bowled. Gary Cash in and a key wicket. Scoring was slow as Dan got rid of the opener and then Cash with a good ball, dipping in and bowling him. With the score tiptoeing along at under 3 per over and maidens in the ascendancy, Charlie replaced Wiggy (2 for 21 from 10). Charlie continued to make run scoring tricky and got rid of Massey caught at mid-on. Dan finished with 2 for 42 from 15 and the returning Rob Fisher on. He is nothing if not miserly with his bowling and so it proved. The Marple tail petered out under the pressure of the spinners. Both men grabbed 3 wickets with Charlie bowling 15 overs for 23 and Fishy for 16. All out in the last over for 108.
A marvellous tea. The best one so far.
Griff let the youngsters have a go and Eddie Roberts opened with Charlie. They were positive from the off running well and looking to find the distant boundaries. Eddie out caught behind for a breezy 17 and the score on 24. Enter Noah Vickery making just his second appearance in the 2's. He always looks calm and collected and having fielded well, he seemed intent on knocking the runs off with Charlie (combined age 28). Noah off the mark with a 4 through mid-wicket prompting Edddie to remark, "This lad looks like he can play!". Charlie looking solid again at the top of the order hit a couple of 4's as the score ticked along which isn't always the case with younger players and captains setting fields to try and strangle runs and build pressure. The pair put on 40 before Charlie (20) fell trying to force things. Noah went for an excellent 25 in the next over. Dil suggesting he got a jaffa from the other end. Unlucky but well played young man. Dil was joined by Wiggy after Joe had come and gone for 0 and at 65 for 4 a 'Tattenhall-esque' collapse was in the offing. No chance. Wiggy blasted the ball to all parts making a mockery of the first innings. Nothing wrong with the pitch! Plenty of fours as Dil (8*) ran with Alex as he bludgeoned the runs required for victory. He plays excellent drives and pick-up shots which all seem to end up beyond the rope. 31 runs taken from 2 overs and all over in the 22nd over, the same number over as the number of maidens from the Chester bowlers.
Win number 12 and with 3 games left, 400 points is still possible despite sitting fourth in the table.

MotM - Alex Towned (again!) Bowled a quick and miserly spell and blasted us to victory despite a nasty grass burn!
DotD - Matt Griffiths "I have one of theses a season, sorry!" No matter as we won comfortably.