Woodford seem to bring out the best and the worst of us…….Back in June, we gave probably our top performance of the season when we outplayed them at Birch Vale Drive. But, on Saturday(Aug.28), we were out-batted, out-bowled and crushed by six wickets. Any kind of win in this Meller Braggins Cheshire League Div.3 summit would probably have given us the championship at our first try. But we drew no inspiration from that incentive and Woodford’s 25 points gives them a one-point advantage over us as we go into the last three games. Our one consolation was that third –placed Bunbury lost at bottom club Wirral, leaving us 39 points ahead of them. There were no excuses. We were almost back to full strength and Woodford, already without their quickest bowler, had his new ball partner, Burns, collapse with ankle ligament trouble two balls into his ninth over. But it was his replacement, leggie Clinch, who most damaged us, taking six wickets.  Rare failures by openers Rick Holt(12) and Tommy Rolph(10) left us looking for someone else to take up the baton. Nobody really did although young Ben Allcock looked more comfortable than most in his 34. Chris Coupes(8), Jack |Kelly (17)  and Neil Ryan(9) promised more than they delivered. And when Ben was sixth out and Billy Flattley(4) left in the same over,  we were just 117. It needed a typical Stuey Milne blitz, aided well by skipper Alex Barber, to get us moving towards maximum batting points. But Stuey’s big attack was cut short too soon, holing out on the mid wicket boundary after slamming four fours and two sixes in his 22-ball 35. Barber took over, batting with power and sense, adding 23 for the ninth wicket with Paul Garner(2). Nick Fithon (4) then kept him solid company until, with that 10th point just one run away, he dragged a foot and was stumped. Barber was left stranded on 28(one four and three sixes).  Our failure to see out our overs left Woodford with four more to make the runs. They didn’t need them. Led by skipper Simon Elms, who finished unbeaten on 102, they rattled off the runs in the 40th over. He and Colebourn(28) gave them an increasingly confident start, putting on 60 in 13 overs. Our bowlers created little pressure and our fielding was uncharacteristically ragged. Elms’ eighteen fours reflected our lack of penetration and direction. Paul Garner had D.Clinch brilliantly caught by Barber and the skipper returned to dismiss Metcalfe and Heap. But it was too little, too late….. Now we must re-find our effectiveness if we are to go up as champions, starting with Saturday’s last home game with Pott Shrigley(1pm start).

Scores: Romiley 169(40.4 overs; Milne 35; A.Clinch 6-51); Woodford 170-4(39.2 overs; Elms 102no; Barber 2-43, Fithon 1-18, Garner 1-38).