WE had warnings of what to expect in the Meller Braggins Cheshire League set-up underlined on Saturday when dominating our opening Third Division adventure at Alderley Park but earning 15 points, 10 below the maximum.  We have become used to sides chasing totals in the Derbyshire and Cheshire League, but in the MBCL, if sides don’t think they can beat your score they set out their stall not to lose. And Alderley Park skipper Robin Farmer said: ”Stockport had the same problem when they came into the league. You can score too many runs…. Once we saw your bowling attack, we tried to make sure we didn’t lose. With your bowling attack, you could afford to get to maximum batting points and then declare, giving yourselves more overs to get the opposition out.”  But he added: “You’ll do well in this league.”  It’s something extra for new skipper Alex Barber to think about as he heads into this Saturday’s home clash with Disley.  Here, he tried eight bowlers in an effort to winkle out obdurate batters as the team relegated last season decided not to chase a nominal 214 for victory. By the close, they had reached 128 for 6, No 3 bat Prime finishing unbeaten on 45.

Our innings was a mixture. Rob Taylor was bowled third ball and Billy Flattley, promoted to three, also went cheaply(13).  But Rick Holt, top scorer with 78, and teenage Tom Rolph then put on 114 for the third wicket to give us a great platform to pile on the agony. Their stand only ended when Tom, looking set for a big score on his competition debut for the first team,  disgustedly cut a full toss into point’s hands. His 37 included eight fours, many of them stroked with real class. But the middle order failed to capitalise. Rick was fifth out, playing around a straight one, after smashing 13 fours and a six, and Andy Bashford (10), Ned Kelly(16), Eddie Nickson(4), Barber(0)  didn’t hang around long. We had lost six wickets for 33 runs. And it was left to sensible batting by Paul Hooton(30) and Nick Fithon(17) to take us to 213 with an unbeaten last wicket stand of 39.

Barber and Kelly bowled with pace and menace, but not until the 10th over did we break through when Ned bowled Farmer. Opening partner McKeever soon followed, bowled by Barber. And it was then that Alderley Park seemed to decide crease occupancy was to be the aim. We were given hope when left arm spinner Paul Garner bowled Rahi and then Flattley and Kelly superbly engineered Burnell’s run out. But not until Flattley was brought into the attack in the 36th over did we strike again. Then the paceman bowled Coombes and had Butterworth caught smartly by keeper Holt. Barber set attacking fields, but Prime and Turrock saw out the last four overs to leave us frustrated.

Scores: Romiley 213-9(Holt 78; Parry 4-39); Alderley Park 128-6(Prime 45no; Flattley 2-15).

This weekend we have a double header – Disley at home in the League on Saturday and Bollington away in the Cheshire Cup second round, on Sunday.