Jonny Holt , the fourth keeper tried this season, took three catches, one of them Matt Prior would have been proud of,  to help see off Cheadle Ladybridge by nine wickets at Birch Vale Drive on Saturday(June 26) and extend our Meller Braggins Cheshire League Div.3 lead to 12 points. Jonny, once a junior star, had his progress stunted by a virtually cricket-less stint at university, but he took his chance here with both hands, literally. And he wasn’t the lone hero from the |Holt family. Younger brother Rick, the vice captain, showed the responsiblility of a true team leader to claim and take an important skyer and then impressive calm to deliver a run out, aided by Jonny.  It was a day of impressive performers in the biggest of our seven-win drive to the top. Billy Flattley, our best bowler this campaign, Paul Garner and Ned Kelly were the wicket-takers as fellow promotion contenders Cheadle were restricted to 125-9. Young Sam Astley, maybe unlucky not to claim his maiden first team wicket in a solid spell, lifted the team with a brilliant, diving boundary stop. And Tom Rolph again showed his growing maturity as he and Andy Bashford, striking his second successive unbeaten 50,  drove us over the line with an unbeaten 101-stand for the second wicket. It had looked as if taking the points would be tougher than it was when openers Clarke(14) and Weir(34) breezily put on 48 in 13 overs. The situation changed utterly when Billy, operating from the Compstall Road end, removed both in his first two overs. And his figures were 3-2-4-3 when the diving Jonny Holt stuck out a telescopic right hand to memorably remove Robins.  Only Camm(26) gave much resistance after those blows as Romiley were set a modest target. Rick Holt(14) was given out lbw for the third week running, but that proved a minor blip as Rolph and Bashford, in their contrasting styles, steadily removed what hope Cheadle had. Rolph, generously ushered in by Bash, reached 300 runs for the season with his unbeaten 43 and Bash, the dominant figure, smote eight fours and three sixes in his 62 as we won in the 28th over. It meant we had beaten three major rivals – Stretton, Woodford and now Cheadle -  in a month.

Scores: Cheadle Ladybridge 125-9(45 overs; Weir 34; P.Garner 3-13, Flattley 3-21, Kelly 2-20). Romiley 127-1(27.2 overs; Bashford 62no, Rolph 43no; Spreadborough 1-24).