Hyde CC on brink of first Cheshire League title since 2015

Hyde moved to within touching distance of a first Cheshire County Cricket League title since 2015 with a 69-run win at Chester Broughton Hall on Saturday.

The home side chose to field and had an early breakthrough when Pat Roberts caught Hyde captain Tom Partridge for just four runs off the bowling of Alex Money. 

However, the league leaders settled into their stride, with Luke Young and Rian Maisuria hitting a steady 37 and 42, respectively. 

It wasn’t all plain sailing, though. Five Hyde batters – including the usually dependable Kesh Fonseka, Andrew Jackson and Daniel Cranmer - fell for single figures, turning a comfortable 104-4 into a nervy 148-8. 

Andrew McFarlane was the architect-in-chief, taking 3-12 in his four overs. 

James Chew provided some resistance batting at number 9, but Hyde were all out for 173 in 48.3 overs. 

In reply, Charlie Barnard was again Hyde’s most dangerous attacker. He smothered Broughton Hall’s batsmen, taking an outstanding 5-18 in 10 overs, including four maidens. 

Hyde didn’t have things all their own way, with opener Money hitting an assured 43 from 58 balls, which featured eight boundaries before he became Barnard’s second victim. 

Noah Vickery and Andrew Metcalf were stubborn presences at the crease, facing more than 100 balls between them for a combined 37 runs, but once Vickery fell to Barnard, the tail soon followed. 

The final five wickets tumbled for just 15 runs, leaving them 104 all out. 

That would have been the title wrapped up if Toft could win at title challengers Nantwich, but it wasn’t to be. 

Putting the visitors into bat, the Knutsford-based side made 177 with Liam Clorley, Tom Forster and Rohan Aggarwal all scoring over 30 runs. 

However, Nantwich cantered to a 9-wicket victory, with former Stockport Grammar pupil Ali Chughtai being their only batter sent back to the pavilion, albeit after scoring a mature century from 90 balls. 

Nantwich reached their target with 12 overs to spare, relegating Toft and ensuring a final day shoot out for the championship this afternoon. 

Hyde travel to Grappenhall knowing a win will be enough to secure the title and send the Warrington side down, while Nantwich host 3rd placed Didsbury.