Owen Williamson showed cricket’s version of the Nelson touch on Saturday(July 24) and came too close to torpedoing us to our first Meller Braggins Cheshire League defeat in two months. Bunbury’s pugnacious all-rounder twice turned a deaf ear to his skipper’s demands that he shut up shop in face of our 200-9 declared. The result was that a Division 3 match that seemed to be staggering to uninspiring stalemate turned into a blazing shoot out for the points. Coming in at 32-3 in the 18th over, Owen, aided first by Lamb(36) and more strongly by Matthews(38), slammed 72 before being brilliantly run out by Stuart Milne. By the time he left 28 overs, nine fours and two sixes later, Bunbury were within 20 runs of an unlikely victory with four wickets left. But there were only a few balls to go when he was defeated by Milne’s accuracy. Desperation set in and it was Romiley who had the chance to wrap up the points.  Keeper Jonny Holt cutely underarmed Winter to a run out and Matthews, who had given Williamson vital sixth- wicket support, was bowled by the returning Alex Barber. But Thompson and Lewis refused us the kill as Bunbury finished on 191-8. It left us with 16 points to their 12 and the winning draw cost us the lead, Woodford stealing ahead again in the see saw battle to be champions. Earlier, another blistering Milne knock had given us what looked to be a winning total. Rick Holt(35), who scored his 500th run of the season , and Tommy Rolph(20) had given us another 50-plus opening stand to send us on our way. But the middle order failed to spark, Andy Bashford(2), Ned Kelly(6) and Ben Allcock(17) falling cheaply, leaving us on 90-5. That brought together Jonny Holt and the Reading Rocker for a vital 75-run stand for the sixth wicket. Jonny, confidence high after his similar effort at Lymm last week, actually out-scored the mighty hitting Stuart with 38 of their riotous 11-over stand. Milne did his habitual bombing of gardens until, after two sixes and four fours, he went for 45, falling to one of the higher caught and bowleds. Billy Flattley(1) and Paul Garner(1) were both run out leaving Barber(18no) and Nick Fithon(4no) to see us to 200 and our declaration which gave us two extra overs to bowl out Bunbury. Owen Williamson ensured it wasn’t enough…
Scores: Romiley 200-9dec(43 overs; Milne 45; Williams 5-64). Bunbury 191-8(47 overs; Williamson 72; P.Garner 3-49, Barber 2-53, Fithon 1-24)